


Out of the woods

by TFALokiwriter



Series: Kirk Prime raised AOS Spock and Sybok [1]
Category: Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: Child Spock - Freeform, Children, Gen, Humor, M/M, Science Fiction, Trust, Vulcan, loss of memories, old Jim, respect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-11 04:09:10
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 27,151
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5613457
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wake up with a terrible memory in 2230. Find yourself on Vulcan. And here's the kicker: imagine if that you are that guy who's from the future. A admiral. This is a story how amnesia can be overcome, how some obstacles can be challenged and overcome with, and how sometimes you can do the difficult things just for someone you care about. When pieces of the puzzle come together . . . realization hits. </p>
<p>This man with amnesia calls himself 'Jim'.</p>
<p>Started: 1/2/2016.</p>
<p>Completed: 1/5/2016 at 5:09 PM.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Memories are faint

A man awoke in a desert. _Where am I . ._ . The man blinked seeing a sun. _Earth?_ What was Earth? Earth is a planet with animal life that domestic and some not domestic. Wild animals. The man got himself upright feeling a pain in his head. Where the hell is Picard? Who was Picard? Was he a woman? This Picard must be a 'he'. Picard is captain of a ship of some sort and he used to be a captain too. Jim. There was a strong feeling to it that he was called that. He saw a furry beast that looked a mix of a bear and a lion.

Okay, he is not on Earth.

He is on Vulcan.

What is Vulcan?

"Don't you look cute." Jim asked.

The Sehlat, the small one, stood upright blinking at him on its hind legs. 

"Yes, you are." Jim said.

The Sehlat came on all four legs then walked backwards staring at Jim.

"Afraid to be told you are cute?" Jim asked.

The little one ran off.

"Why . . . that is new." Jim said.

Jim rubbed the side of his head.

How did he know he was on Vulcan?

He knew someone was from Vulcan.

His . . . His. . . His. . . spouse.

His husband.

The love of his life.

"Why am I here?" Jim wondered out loud.

Jim looked over to see a city of some sorts ahead. Maybe the Vulcans can help him regain his memory. He stepped forward then heard a crack. He looked down to see a golden arrow object below.  Jim picked up the arrow. He remembered yellow fabric under it and then blue fabric. Different uniforms. He raised a eyebrow, why was that significant? He continued down the path. Did he have a last name? He supposed not. If Bones were here, he might have sound advice on how to regain his memory. Who was Bones? A doctor, obviously. Jim could see unusual birds in the sky that weren't familiar to him. They resembled white eagles and ravens put together with two heads. Now that was creepy. A few of these birds landed on a branch. 

He was familiar to the Vulcans.

Yes, he is.

Because his husband had taught him extensively about them and he also learned their civilization by serving alongside him.

_Who_ the hell was his husband?

_Where_ was he?

_When_ was he?

_How_ did he get here?

_Who_ was he?

And _why_ did he have a terrible memory?


	2. Getting the year

Jim came into a Vulcan city. Well, that's what he called it.  He saw a familiar Vulcan, someone his spouse had known, walking with a woman with human ears. Who was she? Surely Jim would have known. He felt scared to approach them. They looked younger than he had known them. Wait, that meant he met them later. Much, much later. Time travel? He has done it before. Once by accident. Twice intentionally to observe. Third time to save the day. Slingshotting around the sun.

Jim found himself approaching the couple.

"Hello," Jim said. "What year is it?"

The woman had a very pregnant stomach.

"2230," Came the Vulcan. "We are heading to the Vulcan Hospital. It seems you are in need of medical attention."

Jim felt the side of his head then he lowered his hand saw blood.

"Oh," Jim said. "No wonder there were birds." He looked toward the couple. "What is this . . . city?"

"Shikahr." The woman said. "You should join us."

Shikahr.

His spouse will be born there.

* * *

  **. . .Vulcan Hospital. . .**

**. . . Two hours later. . .**

"How did you get here?"

"I do not remember. I thought you would be able to help me with my memories."

"We are not doctors, we are healers," The short Vulcan said. He was middle aged by Jim's estimate. "You will be returned to your own kind."

"Thank you for healing my head." Jim said.

The Vulcan stopped, turning toward the human, cocking up a eyebrow.

"Did you just thank me?"

"Yes, it is logical due to the circumstance. Is it true that one must thank the person who helped them much as they could?"

"That is true.  We don't get thanks from humans that often."

The Vulcan walked out of the room.  Jim looked down toward his hands. He will be born in three years. He was on Vulcan. He had been around a Vulcan for so long he saw through their logic and reasoning, even negotiating a reason why to thank them. Damn, that Vulcan had rubbed off on him.  Jim lowered his hand. He found himself missing his friends. Who were they? Bones. . . and his husband, who were the others? He closed his eyes as his hands balled up into fists. He didn't like not knowing! The wail of a baby stirred Jim out of his train of thought.

It was quite loud.

His eyes opened.

His spouse was just born. Jim felt joy and excitement but utter joy. A smile came onto his face. The birth of a baby was a cherished kind of one. Jim met his spouses parents, twice! What was the name of his spouse? He couldn't remember.  There was emptiness in his heart.  Why? He felt a thread in his mind. A broken one that had been mended and softened to block the result of the snapping. Something was preventing him from remembering! Why? Why! WHY!  Jim wanted to remember so badly. He wanted to know who he had been married to. He looked down toward his hands. He didn't have a wedding ring. Then . . . why does he consider himself still married?


	3. The result of a broken bond

"It seems he is ailing from a broken bond." The healer said.

"Hm?" Sarek said, surprised.

The idea of a human becoming married with a Vulcan through marriage bonds was _almost_ laughable. Humans didn't live that long as Vulcans did and it would be a fools errand to bond with them. Because if a Vulcan and human bonded, if one of them died then it would surely spell doom for the other unless they went to a healer and treated the bond by severing it. It was the equivalent to a Vulcan marriage-divorce through the means of the mind.

"This human has engaged in a marriage bond." The healer said.

There was a pause between the two Vulcans.

"And his mate?" Sarek asked.

The healer sighed.

"I was about to ask if he talked about his mate." The healer said,

"He was very. . . Unwell," Sarek said. "He had no idea when and where he was."

Jim's eyes struggled to open.

"He must not think about his bond and his mates identity, his mate may believe he is dead."

"That wouldn't be easy for a human."

"Sarek, this is a first for Vulcan to marry a human in this way. You haven't done a marriage bond with your wife, right?"

"I have not," Sarek said. "For her safety."

Jim's eyes opened.

"Sarek . . ." Jim muttered. "That name is familiar."

"Coincidence?" The healer asked.

"Coincidence," Sarek asked.  "I am well known for my marriage with Amanda."

Amanda Grayson.  .  .

A familiar phrase came into his mind.

Sarek . . son of Skon. . . Skon son of Solkar.  . .

_"I have,and always will be, yours."_

The first syllable was on his tongue and then it escaped.

Instead, another memory came to.

_"KHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANNN!"_

Who was Khan?

"What happened?" Jim asked.

"You fell into deep trance. You were in your mind, deeply, searching, for memories that are not there. Your transport will be here." The healer turned his attention toward Sarek. "Tell him and make it very clear."

The healer went out of the room.

"That I have a broken bond?"

"Mr. . ."

"Jim."

Sarek raised a eyebrow.

"No last name?" Sarek asked.

"I do have one, but. . . I have no memory of it." Jim said.

Sarek lowered his eyebrow.

"Jim. . . If you continue think more about your Vulcan mate, you will get so deep within your mind that you will never wake up and never come out. You will be stuck in a comatose state searching for what is not there and what has chosen to not be connected to you," Sarek explained. "It spells your death."

Jim sighed.

"It's important for me to know who was so important to me," Jim said. "I feel a sense of debt with him."

"You feel that you owe a Vulcan?" Sarek asked.

"Yes." Jim said.

"Then you don't owe this Vulcan if he or she ended the marriage. Your logic is invalid."

"I have a feeling this Vulcan is a he."

"A. . . he."

"Yes."

"I will put this lightly: if you value your life, you mustn't think of him. Do it for him.  It is likely he did not intend to hurt you with a dissolved marriage bond."

Jim's eyes lowered.

"Thank you for the consideration . . . " Jim said. Then he turned his eyes toward Sarek. "What's the kid's name?"

"His name is Spock." Sarek asked.

Jim lowered his head.

" _Jim? JIM!"_ It was like a male voice that sounded younger than him. The voice was someone . . . very close to him. It hurt Jim that he didn't have the faintest idea who Spock was and why he was connected--wait a second. His spouse was born this year. His spouse is Spock. _Spock_. But what did he look like when he had known him? The image failed to come up. The voice sounded like it came over a communicator. A communicator is a small device that acted much as a radio and tracker, a earliest relative of the combadge.  The golden arrow object he had in his pocket.

So Jim raised his head up with a smile.

"Nice name for a kid." Jim said.

"He is named after Vulcan's early society builders." Sarek said.

Jim knew all that he needed to know about Spock for now.

"He is going to wear that name well." Jim said.,

 _His_ Spock.

"I am confused, how does one wear a name like a garment?" Sarek asked.

One foot in the door of humanity and the other in the Vulcan way.

"He will do many, many . . and I am sure of this. . . many extraordinary things," Jim said. "Make history so to speak."

And Spock loved Jim enough to have a Vulcan marriage.

But why. . . why dissolve their marriage?

"How are you so sure about that?" Sarek asked.

"Spock sounds like one of those great names," Jim said. "One of the greats."

Sarek raised a eyebrow then he lowered it.

"Your shuttle will be here in two hours," Sarek said. "Live long and prosper."

Jim raised his hand then made the Vulcan gesture, a familiar sign, one he knew all to well.

"Live long and prosper, Ambassador." Jim said.

Sarek left the room.

Jim lowered his hand.

"Earth . . ." Jim said. "It now seems so alien to me."

Sarek had appeared to be different as did Amanda.

One theory; he is in a Alternate Universe with key differences.

Second theory; he has some brain trauma.

But that second theory is not logical so that means theory one is the most logical one. Brain trauma cannot change the memory but it can change the hair color of a person in some cases. What was Jim once a captain of? He solved the identity of his spouse. Now the rest of his life had to be pieced together while he is stuck in a alternate universe some decades in the past.


	4. Vulcans are a unusual species

So Jim was in a universe similar to the Prime universe. That made a lot of sense. Spock was already born. Bones was already born three years ago on the planet Earth. Jim hadn't been born, _yet._ Jim knew the future or at least bits of it. He was sitting down in a seat contemplating his background. Who were his parents? Did he have a brother? Jim was the only one in the shuttle along with the two pilots who were Vulcans.

"This is the captain speaking," Came a slurred voice. Great, the captain is drunk. Wait, what? "Make sure to put on your seatbelts."

Jim raised a eyebrow.

They were heading toward Earth in space and he had thought there was no need to buckle up. In fact, buckling up had become a past time as travel in space within certain borders was declared safe. No need to be armed with seatbelts of the past though there was need for stasis pods, escape pods, and emergency escape shuttles for in case there was a emergency that harmed the people of the ship. The self destruction protocol was made to annihilate any threats inside the ship. One that Jim had rarely used when he captained a ship. Jim only used it once to make a point he wouldn't let another race get home while a entire colony died because they didn't get the medical vaccines.

Thankfully, the ship didn't get destroyed and they were able to save lives.

"Captain, you shouldn't be drinking."

"It's the only thing that keeps me straight on my mind."

"Vulcan's do not get affected by alcohol. You have been drinking a strange form of alcohol that harms your liver."

"Affirmative."

"Why?"

"It's the only thing that drowns out my pain."

"Are you losing your mind?"

"Captain out."

The doors to the pilot's cabin were closed, just as they should be, leaving him sitting there on the seat. Jim saw the  gleaming stars pass the windows. It was peaceful up here. Nothing bad could go wrong. The stars, the ones millions of light years away, were the ones that truly inspired people to go up into space and go where no man has gone before. He remembered sitting on the roof of the electric powered car's roof watching the night sky outside the family house on the hill. His arms were behind his head. He could remember the sound of crickets. The fireflies were out decorating the night scenery. The fireflies and the stars were a sight that was beyond words. He could see the edges of the universe staring right back  at him showing clouds of dust.

Beautiful Iowa.

_Iowa!_

He grew up in Iowa!

Suddenly Jim was jerked out of his recollection. The shuttle was spinning. What the hell were the Vulcans up to? Jim used the rails as his guide to the pilots cabin. He knocked on the door only for the door itself to open to reveal one snoring drunk Pilot and the other leaned to his side unconscious. Jim saw a bottle of whisky, old style, beside the drunken pilot's sleeping body. They were spinning down toward Earth. They had about maybe thirty-minutes.  Fifteen, tops. They were tearing through the atmosphere heading to what is apparently a street.  The heat was burning against the side of the ship conflicting against the window. Jim tried to shake the drunk pilot awake.

"No, mother," The drunk pilot said. "I am not going to school right now. It is illogical to attend school with the flue. Oh mother.  .  ."

Jim piloted a shuttle before.

Yes, he had.

Jim shoved the drunken pilot out of his chair then  grabbed onto the steering wheel, and raised the side shields up. He gravitate the ship up rather than down slowing the trajectory of the ship by 68.47% though Spock would insist it was twenty point twenty-eight percent if he were here. Oh, so Spock is the kind of 'very precise' person. Hmm, interesting.  Jim swooped over the street safely making it over several floating cars above the ground. He then searched around for a landing pad. People didn't notice that he just prevented a terrible accident. There had to be a landing passenger craft pad somewhere around here. The drunken pilot was curled up sucking on his thumb.

Jim had a brief head shake.

He found a  passenger landing pad.

"Phew," Jim said. "The old man would be impressed I saved not one but _two_ Vulcans!"

He set the landing procedures, carefully, until the passenger ship came to a gentle landing.

The Vulcan beside Jim awoke with a jerk.

"Good afternoon, Vulcan," Jim said. "How was it like being pinched by one of your own?"

The Vulcan blinked.

"Unpleasent," The Vulcan said. "You landed this ship?"

"Uh huh." Jim said.

The Vulcan lowered his head then raised it back up.

"I am in your debt." The Vulcan said.

"Yeah, and so is your friend in need of rehab." Jim said, pointing over to the drunken Vulcan.

The Vulcan sighed.

"He has chosen to embrace his emotions and they are, in turn, killing him." The Vulcan said.

" _It'll kill him, Jim."_ Came a older familiar voice.

This conversation regarded a Vulcan forced to have emotions because of some bored god-like beings.

"I see," Jim said. "Since I just saved your life and your friend. . . Mind if we take him to a rehab?"

"Vulcans going into rehab is a rare occurrence." The Vulcan said.

"So is Vulcans joining. . ." Jim snapped his fingers. "Oh god, what I am trying to think?"

"Obviously something important." The Vulcan said.

Jim got out of the chair then came to the back side of the drunken Vulcan.

"Is sucking their thumbs a usual thing?" Jim asked.

"I believe the term for that form of cowardly is 'pussy' or for this form of childism 'drunken mess'." The Vulcan said.

Jim had a slow laugh.

"What is your name?"

"Skork Piurgpjek. . . And he is Mipac Gkjdkjndsakn."

"Okay Skork, let's get our friend Mipac to rehab."


	5. Take a hand and hold on tight

_"Jim!" Spock shouted._

_A hand caught Jim's wrist._

_"I am not letting go of your hand." Spock said._

_Jim looked up to see the man who had saved his life in the nick of time. He couldn't see their face as it was a blurr. He noticed the hair was dark and was finely cut. The hand had flat youthful skin that felt soft. Jim was dangling out of a hole that was sucking in everything in. Jim could see there were a pair of pointy ears. Spock. That is who it is. But why could he not necessarily see his face? Jim could feel a odd sense of comfort from seeing the Vulcan._

_The Vulcan had grabbed onto a root sticking out of the ground._

_Jim looked over his shoulder to see the blue inside of the hole showing a thin layer of a event going on. It was a transporter room of some kind that wasn't the one he was familiar to. A chair tumbled through landing straight on the ground on its side. The interior of the transporter room was dark and not as bright. There were six circles that were glowing a unique shade of white._

_"Spock, I think this is a location portal." Jim said._

_"Captain, with all the evidence we have compiled of this phenomena anything that goes in is burned and destroyed beyond recognition," Spock said. "Burned to the crisp."_

_"But the portal didn't have a location in those instances," Jim said. "It could be safe."_

_"Captain, there are sixty-six point twenty-three chances that you will die." Spock said._

_"I will be okay, you can trust me."_

_Spock's grip on Jim's wrist was loosening mostly because of the sheer force the hole was drawing upon and his grip on the branch was making it break apart slowly and gradually. Jim had his classic smile for reassurance. He couldn't see the look on the Vulcan's face. He could feel the hand wrapped around his hand was trembling. The Vulcan was afraid of losing him. The Vulcan cleared his throat._

_"As it is customary before one's dearly beloved leaves . . ." Spock said. "I love you."_

_"I love you, too." Jim replied._

_Spock let go of Jim's hand.  Jim felt the pull of the portal bringing him towards it. The massive force that was nearly breaking the root had stopped and Jim fell into the hole where he saw the flickering edges of blue flames. He heard a scream, "Captain!" that sounded frightened, concerned, and scared. Of course he had felt a burning sensation briefly. The next he felt was pain upon landing on his side on his shoulder. Damn, that might of broken his shoulder. Yep, he broke it._

* * *

Jim awoke from the dream.

It was 2233.

Jim wasn't a young man anymore. He was a older man. Age, sixty-three.  He didn't look as young as he used to be. His blonde hair had changed to brown over the few decades that passed after he commanded his first ship. It was a momentous day when he was given the ship, his entire family was there for the ceremony. Jim could remember their proud faces, their happy smiles, and how the three boys of his brothers congratulated him. Second boy in the family to command a starship. The first five years he had commanding a starship was the greatest years he had in his life.

His golden years so to speak.

He looked at the  mirror to the bathroom.

If he were younger, he wouldn't have recognized  his older self at first. The lights were dim inside the apartment. He was on a starbase  that he did not bother to think about. It just reminded  him how screwed up his life had become and how he had began a journey to discover his identity once more. It was five thirty-two AM.  Everything was so different between this era and the one he had lived in prior. Warp one was considered slow while warp eight was considered the normal warp. It was so strange. He got dressed into his typical every-day civilian attire that still fit.

Surprisingly he still appeared to be a sixty year old.

Impressive.

He spent three years making a identity for himself.

Jim.

Three long years. It had taken considerable time to construct a life in this universe. He learned of Star Fleet during his first year and then it all came to about Star Fleet. Everyone he knew would be joining Star Fleet to serve aboard a starship in a couple decades. One that defined Jim and Spock together as a person, friend, and lover. Jim came out of the restroom into his quarters well actually his bedroom. He walked out of the room through the moving door.

"Ambassador Sarek is calling."  Came the computer. 

Jim went over the desk with a wide screen that was part of the desk and served similarly as one he used often  on his ship for conversations with Star Fleet.

"Answer."  Jim said.

On the wide screen appeared Sarek.

"Hello . . . Do you remember your last name?" Sarek asked.

Jim shook his head.

"Negative." Jim said.

"How unfortunate." Sarek said.

"What are you calling for, Ambassador?" Jim said.

Sarek paused.

"We have been. . . unfortunately busy," Sarek said. "Due to the loss of the USS Kelvin, helmed by George Kirk, the federation has been seeking answers regarding the Romulan."

Romulan.

"What was his name?" Jim asked.

"Sources say his name was Nero." Sarek said.

Jim stared into space.

_"Hello, Jim," Came that voice. "We met before. A long time ago."_

_"I don't know who you are but you are to let go of my commanding officer and my two security officers." Jim said.  
_

_"Why don't you come and get him." Nero said._

_Negative, Spock wouldn't want him to risk his life for him. He remembered feeling angry at the pointy eared Romulan with a tattoo that wasn't known. A tattoo spread all over his face. He had claimed to be from the future and the past, which didn't make any sense. He had swore vengeance over Jim after saying he had got vengeance on Spock regarding a specific planet he did not name. No one in Star Fleet or aboard the ship knew what Nero was capable of.  No one knew what exactly they were dealing with. He was worse than Khan. Whatever beef Nero had against the Vulcan was dealt with.  Jim's hands grasped the arm rest. He stood up  from the chair with all eyes on him._

_This was in 2269, the fourth year of their four year mission._

_Nero was quite vague when and how he would meet Spock._

_"No," Jim said. "I won't."_

_"You value this Vulcan as though he is your right hand man." Nero said.  
_

_"He is right my hand man." Jim said.  
_

_"Then why don't you save him?" Nero asked, baffled.  
_

_"Regarding the situation, that is a . . " Jim leaned back into the chair. "Illogical choice."_

_The Romulan frowned._

_"Why is it a illogical choice?" Nero asked._

_"Because," Jim said. "You are not logical. Nothing  is. Nothing about this situation makes sense.  Either you are trying to break a nerve in the federation between us and the Vulcans, or try to hurt my emotionally for a reason you have yet to state." He was buying time for Spock. Spock was likely getting his Vulcan ass out of that cell with the security officers. "Whatever you want . . . You will not get it from here."_

_Nero smiled._

_"You want to see the death of a billion people over not retrieving your first officer?"_

_"And the security officers."_

_"They are dead, Captain wanna be."_

_"Did you just call me a wanna-be?"_

_"Yes, cadet!"_

_"I am not a cadet. I am a captain. I graduated from Star Fleet long before you were born."_

_"Fine then, captain. Watch your ways conjure up the death of billions. Nero out."_

_Jim stared at the screen._

_"Transporter to Bridge." Came a Scottish voice.  
_

_"Jim here." Jim said.  
_

_"We got Spock, captain." The Scottish voice said.  
_

_"I am fine, captain, but I cannot say the same for the other security officers. I only managed to escape through . . . less logical means."_

_Jim sighed, in relief._

_"Captain!" Came the voice of a woman.  
_

_Jim found himself somewhere else in a dark scenery._

_"Watch your mistake mean the death of billions, captain."_

_A long item was sent down toward the planet. The starship across from them was damaged quite badly but not enough to mean the end. Jim was held back by several rogue Romulans as he watched the planet explode. Children, babies, mothers, fathers, and . . . everyone. Gone. Extinct. Jim was staring at it horror. The pinge of guilt began to sink in. His face full of terror. The anchor came out of what remained of the planet. His knees gave out. He felt sick. Ill. Ready to puke._

_"You just watched an entire species go out," Nero said. "What is your next move,captain?"_

Jim shook his head snapping out of the trance at the sound of Sarek's voice.

"Do you know this Nero?" Sarek asked.

"I killed him." Jim said.

Sarek raised a eyebrow.

"But Nero is alive." Sarek said.

"Nero is a threat that should be neutralized . . . and will be. I don't understand how I know but I just know," Jim said. "So what are you really calling about?"

The name George Kirk.

Wait.

George.

His father was named George!

His brother was named after him!

Except his middle name was Samuel.

Jim knew his last name.

It was Jim Kirk.

 _"Admiral Kirk,"_ Came what sounded like a familiar young male voice. Flashy smile. Friendly handshake. _"It is honor to meet you."_

He was a admiral.

"We need . . . a nanny," Sarek said. "We have been busy searching in Vulcanian side of space and it is very extensive. Amanda and I are not going to be around long."

Jim nodded.

"And what makes me a suitable nanny for your son?"

"Sons."

"Hm?"

"Sybok and Spock."

Jim remembered a older man with a beard. He remembered standing by the side of Spock asking him what he was seeing.  Jim recalled being in a space that was similar to a room where a woman delivered a baby except it was only he and Spock. He was there,partially, with Spock in the mind. They had that mind-psychic connection. Sybok went into a blue glowing field with his arms spread out requesting to mend what was broken inside this entity in essence to heal him.

Jim smiled.

"I will ask again, what makes me a desirable choice?" Jim asked.

"Your given record states you are a logical choice and your experience with Vulcan children was rather valuable." Sarek said.

Jim raised a eyebrow.

"What experience?" Jim asked.

"You were there to aid several children during a attack by the Klingons." Sarek said.

Ooooh, right!

Jim had 'roleplayed' with them and given them a story to be engrossed in. Some of the children were children. This form of entertainment eased their worries and their frantic state. They were in the safest part of the star base at the time. By the time the attack was over, the children were on another play pretending to be space pirates and one of them was a supposed princess. Jim smiled at the rather fresh memory he made. Too bad Spock couldn't be there to see his strides in taking care of children.

"Ah, I remember." Jim said.

"And the parents had glowing reviews," Sarek added. "You aided in several basic procedures: CPR, easing the children of a frightening situation, and generally being there. As I recall, you were called one night to ease one of the surviving children of a nightmare that her parents died in the attack and the nightmare had persisted for days despite her parents intervention. You went above and beyond the role of 'protector'."

"I see now how it is logical you ask me to be a nanny." Jim said.

"Only for some time," Sarek said. "I give it . . . three year, no . . . seven years. Vulcanian space is very extensive."

"Live in nanny, I assume?" Jim said.

"Quite accurate." Sarek said.

"I accept." Jim said.

"Though I do request. . . If my son gets emotionally attached. . ." Sarek started to say.

"He won't get that attached to me, Sarek," Jim said, with a shake of his hand. "You are his father. I am just a family friend."

"But it can happen." Sarek said.

"Sarek, I promise you, moving out is not going to hurt this kids heart. I am going to visit every once in a while, I got a Vulcan friend who'll give me free rides. His name is Skork."

Sarek raised an eyebrow.

"That story is true?" Sarek asked.

"All of it." Jim said.

Sarek lowered his eyebrow.

"I see how he is in your debt." Sarek said.

"Eventually, he will get out of it. Give or take two decades,"  Jim said, with a sway of his hand. "And he'll have the favor returned. Won't be in my debt anymore."

"I will expect your arrival." Sarek said.

"When do you leave?" Jim said.

"Two days." Sarek said.

"I will be there in one day." Jim said.

"Thank you, you do not know how much this means to my wife with someone caring to take care of our children." Sarek said.

Jim nodded.

"I understand." Jim said.

"As the humans phrase say, 'see you later'," Sarek said. "Sarek out."

The screen turned black.

* * *

The hall was long and wide but occupied with people standing sharing conversations. Skork was taking someone to Vulcan from a nearby starship so it wasn't any trouble for him. Just a quick  beaming and off they go. Jim packed what little he had. A com badge. Some clothes. Toothpaste. Socks, and the other attire he dressed in 365 days of the year.

There was a blonde woman talking to a man with dark brown hair by the door to the transporter room. The ship would be here in at least five hours. He could wait for that amount of time. He could say goodbye to those he knew,especially these two. Sam and John. His packed belongings were still in the still assigned quarters in the star base. It was like a floating town because of the well kept community except now, it seemed, three of them were going to leave. This whole discussion of beaming between the two indicated that John was leaving the star base after god knows how long.

"I am not taking the transporter to that ship, Sam."

"Come on, it is not going to hurt you."

"Say that to the guy who lost his ass in the other side of the galaxy."

"John, beaming was perfected long ago."

"They said using the Ark was easy and someone lost a hand one time!"

Jim walked over.

"Arguing about the transporter once again?"

"It is not safe," John said. "I tell you. My atoms might get scattered all over the universe and my pattern could be distorted."

"You know that is not going to happen," Sam said. "Relax."

"I can't relax." John said.

"I agree with your sister," Jim said. "Beaming is very safe these days."

John glared over toward Jim.

"You never been beamed."

"I have been beamed, plenty of times," Jim said. "Oh, and I got to say, I know my last name."

"What is it?" Sam asked.

"Kirk." Jim said

"Jim Kirk." John said, in disbelief.

"Yes." Jim said.

"You know Jim is a nickname for the name James. Perhaps James is your first name and Jim is just a nickname you been calling yourself this entire time."

"That would make sense," Jim agreed. "But my association with that name is not at least . . . the kind  I want."

"What is the kind you want?" John asked.

"A strong connection, something I can easily remember." Jim said.

Suddenly the star base shook from side to side. A hole appeared right alongside where Jim had been standing, previously, and his hand actually caught onto a piece of scrap metal. He held his breath to prevent himself from being killed. Being nearly taken out into outer space is nothing that is cheery. John took Jim's free hand as the starbase rattled. Jim could see bird-of-preys outside attack.  They sported the design of Romulan space crafts. Why were the Romulans randomly attacking?

John helped Jim up.

"I believe we gotta leave this joint, sis."  John said.

"Let's go." Sam said.

"Thank you!" Jim shouted off to John watching the two run down the hallway.

Jim held on steady to the wall. He was going to get the hell out of here with what belongings he had even if it meant going above and beyond what a man in his position should be doing. From what little Sarek had sent to Jim about the two boys, Sybok was nine years old and Spock was three, and the boys were a absolutely adorable pair. Jim had them to look forward to. With all his might, Jim managed to get back to his quarters, snatch his packed belongings, and make his way to the emergency shuttle station.

Families were leaving in groups.

"We're not leaving Dorian behind, Sam!" John said.

"Fine, then go get him." Sam said.

John had a grumpy look about his face as he went past Jim.

Dorian?  Who the hell was Dorian? He never heard of someone by the name Dorian. Maybe Dorian was that usual African American fellow with the side of his face glowing blue. Then again the brother and sister were stranger than him.  Jim had never met them in his  universe. He made it into the other escape shuttle watching Sam standing by the door tapping her foot with one hand holding a luggage in the handle. The starbase trembled. 

"Ready to lift off." The pilot announced.

The shuttle craft zipped out of the trembling Star Base.

"Hope these kids make it out okay." Jim said, hopefully.

Fifteen minutes later, after twenty-three escape shuttles made it out, Jim watched the star base explode rocking the shuttle back and forth.


	6. Set free

_"Spock . . ."_

_"Jim, I accept your choice but you must make sure to check in on me every once in awhile."_

_The younger human squeezed the Vulcan's hand._

_"I'll be fine, Spock." Jim said, reassuringly._

_"I am scared of losing you." Spock Prime admitted._

_"I'll be right back,  I promise." Jim said, with a kind smile._

_"Promises are broken." Spock Prime said._

_"I will keep it," Jim said. "And  I will give you a kiss to seal that promise."_

_The old man planted a kiss on the Vulcan's hand._

_"I will keep you to it." Spock Prime said._

_Jim stepped back to his stuff on the transporter pad letting go of the hand he had been holding ever so tightly._

_"I will see you, tomorrow, honey." Jim said.  
_

_"Be safe." Spock said.  
_

_Jim grinned._

_"When am I not safe?" Jim asked.  
_

Spock Prime came out of the healer's apartment. He had set himself free and Jim's katra as well. There was emotion in his eyes that no Vulcan should have. It was heavy grief and deep sorrow. Spock held a pendent in his hand. He let go of the pendent to show it is a holo-emitter. The Vulcan walked with his head lowered.

"Jim. . ." Spock said. "You promised."

The Vulcan closed his eyes feeling a tear come down. It was logical to grieve over the loss of a great friend and his greatest half. He wouldn't find him easily again. He was going to attend the funeral procession of his former mate, Jim. He deserved that kind of farewell. The Vulcan raised his head up. He would cherish what he remained of the once charismatic human who did most of the talking. A man full of life. A man who attracted a lot of women but never really married any of them. Jim had turned them down.

Spock Prime came to the passenger ship.

"About time you got here," Came a older familiar voice. "I thought you were going to be late."

Spock Prime turned in the direction of the voice.

"Doctor McCoy?" Spock Prime said.

McCoy looked the same even though he was now older than he had been before. The older man smiled with a nod.

"I thought you would need some comfort," McCoy Prime said. "We lost a great friend today. I know you don't show emotions but for Jim . . . Let's hug it out."

"Might I remind you that 'hugging' it out will not be of any use to grieving?" Spock Prime asked.

"Spock,"  McCoy Prime said, stepping forward. "You need a shoulder to cry on. I know you are half human, so, for once, let it out."

McCoy Prime was at the entrance of the passenger ship. It seemed only logical then to board the passenger ship with McCoy Prime. Just for this once he could too let the emotions out in a safe manner without killing himself due to his Vulcan half. The old Vulcan approached the older man, and not so awkwardly, was brought into a hug. The two friends grieved together at the loss of their great friend who meant different things to each other. To McCoy Prime, Jim was like a son. To Spock, was his other half. 

McCoy Prime heard the tears of a Vulcan.

Something he would never hear again in his lifetime.

And McCoy Prime cried, as well.


	7. First impressions

Jim walked out of the passenger ship following a small Vulcan family consisting of two girls and one father.  The two little girls were at first shy. Their ears were so small and curly, their hair well cut, and the unique difference of eye color was refreshing. He had been sitting down for most of the ride to Vulcan after three hours drifting in space in emergency escape shuttle and two hours spent on the passenger ship to Vulcan. It was surely different to the one he had landed.

Everything was so white and shiny.

There was even a motion picture playing.

It had been a couple decades since Jim had seen a movie much like this.

Now he was off the platform.

The shortest Vulcan girl turned around, and held her hand up, “Live long and prosper.”

Jim held his and up and reciprocated.

“Live long and proper, little one.” Jim said.

The little girl lowered her hand and went after her family. Jim? He didn’t have much of a family that he knew like the back of his hand except for fragments of memory indicating he treated Bone as a uncle he never and Spock as a brother. _Luckiest man alive_ , Jim had once said, _in the universe_. He still did not remember the name of the ship he had served on.

He didn’t remember Bones full name.

Jim knew that for five years he served with a Vulcan, a man from Georgia, a man from Russia who was the navigator, a young woman stationed at commuications, a man skilled in sword fighting who held the helm, and a Scottish man who was a engineer. That is what he would list in chronological order if someone asked what friends of his who he remembered over the past three years, Dorian reminded Jim of a doctor in scrubs but who? It wasn’t Bones. Bones was a Caucasian man. He walked forward until he could see a nine year old, grumpy, Vulcan holding a sign crudely reading ‘Jim’ written in black. There was a three year old clutched to his leg staring at Jim’s direction.

Jim smiled.

Jim approached the two.

“Hello,” Jim said. “I am Jim Kirk.”

“We’re waiting for _a_ Jim.” Sybok said.

Jim sighed.

Right, Jim never had met Sybok when he first turned up on Vulcan with no memory.

“I _am_ that Jim,” Jim lowered down to the little one’s level. “Hello, Mr Spock.”

The little one stared back at him with stoic eyes, which was kind of creepy, but it wasn’t as creepy for Jim. These gentle and warm eyes. Jim had a strange feeling in his heart that this wasn’t his Spock even if he had the name . . . this wasn’t him. He didn’t have that face. In the memories and dreams Jim had of his Spock not once could he see the face.

“Jamie.” Spock said.

Spock reached his hand out landing it on Jim’s nose.

Jim made a sound which startled the Vulcan.

“That was intended to be funny,” Jim said, standing up now upright. “Where are your parents?”

“They left one hour, thirty-minutes, and two seconds ago,” Sybok replied. “Something urgent in the search for Nero took them by surprise. They give their apologies that they could not be here. I thought you would be older.”

Jim had a short laugh.

“That makes the two of us.” Jim said. “Now,” Jim cocked up an eyebrow. “May you be my guide to your house?”

Sybok tucked the poster under his arm.

“Follow us,” Sybok said. “Mr Kirk.”

Sybok went first.

Spock had his hand out first for Jim without fear in his adorable eyes. His hand was small but relatively big to indicate he was still coming out of the stages of toddler-hood. Jim took the hand of the smaller Vulcan while holding his luggage in the other. Spock took the smaller luggage and let the wheels be dragged on the sand behind him.

“Jamie, where are you from?” Spock asked.

“Earth, Iowa,” Jim said.

“I-oh-a.” Spock said, trying out the alien word.

Jim nodded.

“That is it, Commander.” Jim said.

“I am not your kammd-dur. I would have two be in Star Fleet for it.” Spock said.

Three years old and he was already talking like his dear friend Spock of Vulcan.

“Let’s pretend we are Captain and Commander,” Jim said. “My ship is Vulcan and your duty is to ensure the captain is straight on his head.”

“That sounds fair.” Spock said.

And together they followed Sybok.

“Yes, it does.” Jim agreed.

“Do you really have a bad memory?” Spock asked, curiously.

“Yes,” Jim said, in a low voice. “Hopefully. . . One of these days . . . I will remember.”

* * *

**. . . 8:49 PM. . .**

**. . .Spock’s house. . . 2233 . . . . April 2nd...  
**

“Time for bed.” Jim said.

“Okay, Mr Kirk.” Sybok said, heading to his chamber with a yawn.

“I am not tired!” Spock pouted. “I have only started arranging my master puzzle piece!”

Jim stared down at what is an incomplete huge-ass puzzle. He raised a quizzical brow at the little Vulcan, unaware if his Spock ever did this as a child. It was quite puzzling. The older man let out a sigh then he came down to the little one’s side.

“I will make sure your Sehlat eats you if you do not go to bed,” Jim said. “Just like it nearly did for your brother.”

“Okay, I am tired!” Jim picked up little Spock, put him over his shoulder and headed toward Spock’s shoulder. “I can walk myself, Jamie!”

“Commander, you have a history of disobeying orders that do not suit you,” Jim said. “I will ensure you go to bed.”

“But captain, I do follow orders!” Spock insisted.

“Well, explain your father telling me otherwise.” Jim put Spock down on the bed.

This bed was of metal and had almost nothing on it save for a pillow and a blanket. He sat down by the bed making sure that the little Vulcan did as he was told. Spock’s domestic Sehlat came running in wagging his little tail with a mrawr. It was just a cub. The little Sehlat rubbed his back side along Jim’s leg kind of like a cat then it hopped up onto the bed and curled up beside Spock.

“Are you going to tell me a bedtime story?”

“Is it customary for you to be told one?” Jim asked.

Spock nodded.

“Affirmative.” Spock said.

“There was once a ship,” Jim said. “One with a unknown name   . . .” He briefly closed his eyes. “And the captain? He was a human and he had one crew member who was not completely human.” Spock’s eyes were googling. “His name was Spock. Half human, half Vulcan. Best first officer in the entire galaxy as the captain would later say.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing happened.”

“Tell me a story featuring these two.”

“I am getting there, Commander.”

The little Vulcan clapped his hands eagerly.

Sybok, on the other and, was leaning halfway into the room listening in.

“One day they came across the second most dangerous threat they ever met, asides to quite many dating back to a guy named Noonien Singh. I can’t tell you the first name because this guy was bad so bad that everyone referred to him as ‘the-man-who-should-not-be-named’ because he exiled himself and seventy-two others off Earth because of their criminal acts against humanity.” Jim had a sigh. “But we are getting in over ourselves.”

“Do go on.”

“As said, the second most dangerous threat,” Jim said. “He was a Romulan. He captured two security officers and Commander Spock. They were above a relatively newly discovered planet occupied by human species who were relatives of homosapiens. This Romulan wanted a negotiation and to make him plead for his commander.”

“Did he? Did he? Did he?”

“No.”

Spock gasped.

“But why?”

“The captain knew Spock well enough to know he had to buy him some time to escape.”

“What happened?”

“The captain was forced to watch billions of people die because he didn’t negotiate.” Jim said.

“What about Spock?” Spock asked.

“Spock survived. . . . The red shirts though?” Jim shook his hand. “Never stood a chance.” The admiral sighed. “Though there is a happy ending. Only a quarter million were able to get off that planet, many of which were prepared for such a day to happen. You might call them nuts for preparing their entire lives on that day and insane. But enough of them left with the animal life that they were able to reconstruct their civilization on a class M planet called Colo.”

“What about the Romulan?” Spock said.

Jim briefly closed his eyes.

“The captain killed the Romulan at the risk of killing himself,” Jim said. “He won. He won. He won his life back.”

_“Captain!” Spock Prime shouted, shortly after beaming himself to the bridge._

_Most of the crew on the bridge of the Narada were dead or hanging on._

_Behind Spock were three other red shirts._

_“Search the premises,” Spock Prime instructed. “And find captain Kirk.”_

_“Yes sir.” The red shirts said, and they split up searching. Several of the weak and recovering Romulans were beamed off to Sick Bay._

_Spock made his way down the hall._

_“Captain?” Spock Prime called._

_The captain had to be nearby. His presence aboard the ship was needed due to being the one witnessing the unnecessary death of billions. Witnessing that sight . . . could be tragic for Jim. The onset of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Also for Bones to have a psychological checkup and actually see if there is anything to salvage from the captain or that if he is in on piece. They were both worried for their great friend._

_He came down into a room._

_The much more advanced walking corridor, which wasn’t much of a room._

_“Spock!” Jim shouted._

_Spock Prime turned in the direction of Jim, one hand on his phaser, and his eyes fixated on the Romulan holding a long spear like device over his head ready to strike the captain with a fetal blow. Jim had a short nod toward Spock Prime. Jim had a bruise on the side of his face. He had blood coming from the edge of his lip. He had a scar on his eyebrow._

_“Which is it going to be?” Nero asked. “The captain or me?”_

_They were by the edge of the long catwalk that had several others but separated by long wide gaps and at the bottom was a metal floor twenty-five feet down or so. Spock Prime shook his head and Jim nodded back, one hand on Nero’s wrist, his foot stepping back. Nero frowned watching the Vulcan seem to be distressed._

_“Can’t decide?” Nero said. “I will make you.”_

_Spock Prime took out the phaser and shot at Nero’s hand then his foot making the Romulan stumble back where he met nothing. Absolutely nothing to step on. His grip on the spear had all but became absolute and allowed it fly straight down then embed itself into a premed hole while its sharp tip side stood out. Spock Prime stepped forward at first appearing to go after Jim. Jim fell out of Spock’s line of sight._

_Spock Prime flipped out his communicator._

_Nero was the first to land. The long time had protruded through the backside into his heart and all that came from him was green blood pouring out. Jim could see the sickening landing. But instead of falling to his death, Jim was beamed back to the ship he captained. He landed with a thud on the transporter pad. Bones came to his side._

_“Jim!” Bones said, then he took out a medical tricorder from a knapsack and started to do his usual routine._

Spock spoke up.

“He sure must have messed with the wrong ship if he died.” Spock said.

Jim opened his eyes.

“He had.” Jim said.

Spock closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Jim got up. Sybok returned to his room quickly.  Jim walked out of Spock's room, then went into the guest quarters room that had been set up for a human. Jim knew that Sarek would be calling any moment now to check up on the boys regardless of how far he was. He saw how distant Sybok and Spock were to their emotions. Here, Jim was, in history where someone he cared about was being shaped by his culture. It was interesting to say for the least. Spock played with a three dimensional triangle called the Pleenok which was a puzzle.

 Jim sat down at the computer into a chair.

"Computer on." Jim said.

"Being contacted by Ambassador Sarek." Came the computer.

"Initiate contact." Jim said, leaning back into the chair.

"Hello, Jim. My apologies for leaving suddenly." Sarek apologized.

"It is fine," Jim said. "I remember my last name."

"What is it?" Sarek asked, curious.

"Kirk," Jim said. "And you have some pretty outstanding kids."

"Nothing short of exceptional." Sarek said.

"I can see a bright future for these two." Jim said,

"I do not see the same for Sybok." Sarek admitted.

"Hm?" Jim said, raising an eyebrow,

"Sybok . . ." Sarek said. "Wants to mend people's pain if you have not noticed."

"I have." Jim said.

"Three years ago  I thought he would make an excellent scientist or perhaps an Ambassador," Sarek said. "I was prooved wrong."

Jim lowered his eyebrow.

"What did he do? Embarrass you?" Jim asked.

"Vulcans do not get embarrassed," Sarek said. "May I continue to call you Jim?"

"Yes," Jim said. "You may." He had a laugh. "What did Sybok do?"

"Pain is what makes us who we are," Sarek said. "We need to remember the pain in order to not repeat the mistakes of the past and it shapes us to who we are today."

That's exactly what Jim said to Sybok Prime when Sybok Prime offered to end his pain.

" _I NEED MY PAIN!_ " Was that memorable reply.

"I understand," Jim said. "Who was the victim?"

"It is classified," Sarek said. "How is Spock?"

"Just about fine," Jim said. "I made sure he went to bed. Hell, I didn't know he played with puzzles all the time."

"When he is of age, he will need to be enrolled into Vulcan school," Sarek said. "Age six."

"And you are going to fill me in all that important knowledge?" Jim said.

"Affirmative." Sarek said.

"Hold on, I need a padd." Jim said.

Jim searched the drawers for the padd and then came across one.

"Found it!" Jim took a pen and then returned to the chair. "I am listening."


	8. Care

**. ..2233. . .**

**. . . December 21st. .**

"Sybok, what did you do this time?"

"I tried to end their pain."

Jim sat down beside Sybok with a sigh.

"Look," Jim said.  "You have a little brother who looks up to you. If you continue to try to end others pain then one day you will get yourself killed."

"You are just saying that because Vulcans do not approve of me." Sybok turned his head away.

"Sybok," Jim said. "Your brother is in the turbocar."

Sybok turned his head toward  Jim with wide eyes.

"No, you didn't." Sybok said.

"I did," Jim said. "You are spending the rest of your suspension home on Vulcan until next week. You are lucky I am not the kind who can do mental discipline. What you did was _uncalled_ for."

"But he was calling my father a traitor." Sybok said.

"Did you really have to set him free by facing his mistakes and overcoming them?" Jim said. "That might make the next Khan Noonien Singh."

"It won't, Mr Kirk." Sybok said.

"Please, call me Jim." Jim said.

"You don't understand, Mr Kirk," Sybok said. "We have to accept our emotions and control them to a certain degree so we don't kill ourselves!" Jim sighed, going through his hair. He could not go against the Prime Directive. No interfering in events that are meant to happen and never use beforehand knowledge to prevent a event from happening that affects everyone. He could not tell anything about his future. But Sybok was making that difficult. "If we continue to deny our emotions then we will become cold hard blooded killers who don't have hearts."

Jim looked over toward Sybok.

"You have the right motivation," Jim said. "But Vulcans are a different breed of people. You can accept your emotions but there are many Vulcans who cannot."

"Then I will help them." Sybok said.

"Every single one?" Jim asked, unsure.

"I will get followers and we will go off and make our own civilization that accepts their emotions." Sybok said.

"Romulans followed their hearts and they became eternally paranoid," Jim said. "Are you sure, Sybok, that you want a repeat of history?"

Sybok lowered his head then back up toward Jim.

"Romulans and Vulcans should join together, get over our differences, and embrace our bloodlines." Sybok said.

Jim grabbed Sybok by the shoulder.

"We're going home." Jim said.

Sybok got up and followed Jim.

"Are you mad at me?" Sybok asked.

"Yes." Jim said, flatly.

"Why?" Sybok asked.

"Because pain makes us who we are," Jim said. "I haven't remembered mine but you. . ." Jim stopped turning toward Sybok. "Swear to me."

"To say a word that insults you is entirely. . . unreasonable." Sybok said.

Jim came down to Sybok's level taking the boy's hand and looked into the boy's eyes sincerely.

"Swear to me that you won't do it to me," Jim said. "When I remember it. I don't need to face it. It is mine and mine alone."

Sybok slowly nodded.

"I won't do that I won't give you shit." Sybok said.

"In my case, a swear is a promise. No bad words." Jim said.

"I won't do it to you, I promise." Sybok said.

Jim let go of the boy's hand as he stood up.

"Let's go then." Jim said.

"Can I hold your hand?" Sybok asked.

"Just between us." Jim said.

Sybok nodded.

"Just between us." Sybok said.

"I will see you later Sybok!" Came  a gleeful sounding Vulcan.

"You just earned yourself a follower." Jim said.

"I am getting tired of their extreme loyalty to me already." Sybok said, jokingly.

"Don't we all get tired of extremely loyal brain washed Vulcans?" Jim asked, with a tinge of humor.

"Affirmative." Sybok said, as the two walked out of the open doorway.

They both respected each other to a certain degree and had an eye to eye respect ever since then.


	9. Heard

**. . . January 1st, 2234.   . .**

"Today marks the forth year since Spock was born." Sybok said.

"Since you don't eat normal cake . . . I made a salad shaped like a cake." Jim said.

Sybok stared long and hard at the wet circular item laid on a plate that was circular.

"How . . . how.  . how. . ." Sybok said.

"Federation credits your father has been sending me and using a cookbook to keep the vegetables fresh," Jim said. "Speaking of which . . . Your father was supposed to call late last night in the family room. Did you and your brother be able to participate in it?" It was quite interesting to see them interact, let alone Sybok and Sarek. "Did it go south or north?"

"Conversations cannot go directions." Sybok said.

Jim sighed. 

"I meant: how was it?" Jim asked.

"Unfavorable." Sybok said, dully.

Sarek hadn't video chatted with Jim since December 21st. Sarek probably believed Sybok and Spock were in safe hands. Jim raised a eyebrow with a "Huh?" as though he did not expect it. He expected them to get along like a pair of clones meeting for the first time. Then Jim heard cries. Spock's cries. Jim went out of the kitchen to Spock's bedroom leaving Sybok behind.

"I am coming, Commander!" Jim shouted.

* * *

  **. . . December 31st.  . .  .**

**. . . 2233 . . .**

The conversation between father and sons began rather peaceful at first. The two boys were sitting down on the couch playing with their fingers. They were like a bunch of lightning rods. Sybok raved about how Jim was being  a nanny.  And Spock? He calmly explained the fictional bed time stories that Jim has been telling him have been bordering on the 'verge of realism,' and 'sound plausible if it were studied in reality'. Sybok stared at the calm three year old who's speaking was different for his age.

Sybok rubbed his jaw then returned his attention to the screen.

"I have heard about what you did two weeks ago." Sarek said.

"I apologized afterwards." Sybok said.

"Sybok, I told you to end this pain healing and I request you reconsider your logic." Sarek said.

"Pure logic is boring and it is quite . . . What is it? Quite dull." Sybok said.

"Don't say that Surak's teachings." Sarek said.

"I can say whatever I want and sticking strictly to logic is going to be our doom." Sybok said,

"It won't be, Sybok, logic is what kept us together. If we go back to those ways . . ." Sarek said. "If you continue this then you will be exiled off Vulcan and I will not be able to help you."

"It is against the Vulcan way to embrace our emotions?" Sybok said. "Then I will be the one to start a revolution, and there is nothing you can do about it!"

Sybok stormed out of the room.

"Sarek,"  Spock said. "How has mother been?"

* * *

Jim came back out of the room holding up Spock by his sides away from himself.

"Commander, we have a emergency hazard." Jim said.

"I am not a emergency hazard, captain!" Spock said.

"Your pants are." Jim said.

Sybok smiled, shaking his head.

"Sybok, is there extra packages of soap?" Came Jim's voice from the restroom.

"Affirmative!" Sybok said.

"Where!" Jim asked.

"In the basement, sir!" Sybok said.

"And get some new boxers for Spock. Get, them, please!" Jim said.

Sybok retrieved the bar of soap and the new pairs of clothes for his little brother. When he came into the restroom, Jim had ran the tub and had little Spock sitting there. Jim held his hand out expecteding for the bar of soap which Sybok handed. Spock had a stoic face as Jim started to wash him. Thirty-two minutes later Spock had shown only the emotion of grouchiness.


	10. Fathers

_"Spock, what is it?" Jim asked, as his old friend watched the Guardian of Forever displaying images._

_"I just saw my father." Spock Prime said._

_Jim raised an eyebrow._

_"When?" Jim said._

_"In the time of Surak." Spock Prime said._

_"But your father wasn't around Surak." Jim said._

_"That is correct," Spock Prime said. "It seems Surak and Sarek are the same person." He was stoic, soaking in the information. "I must know how this is possible. We last saw Surak, younger, and he looked nothing like my father back then. How is this possible?" Spock looked over to Jim, deeply troubled. "I recognize that old Vulcan anywhere. That is not Surak. That Vulcan is my father."_

* * *

**. . . 2237 . . .**

**. . . Vulcan. . .May 1st. . .6:00 AM. . .  
**

Jim awoke from his dream.

Spock was now seven years old and enrolled into school. Sybok was thirteen years old and he was getting into more trouble. Spock was a adorable cute Vulcan. Jim? Sixty-seven. Strangely, Jim did not look over sixty-eight for some odd reason. Spock had a familiar face but he couldn't figure out why and how it was so familiar. It was so familiar but it was not. Spock reminded himself everyday watching the little toddler grow up into a young boy that this was _not_ his Spock.

Three years until Sarek returned with his wife Amanda Grayson.

Living among Vulcans has left him with becoming a vegetarian.

He looked over toward the alarm clock that read 6:00 AM.

Honestly, Jim looked forward to the day he left Vulcan and returned to Earth. He hadn't visited Iowa in a long, long time. Too long in fact. Over the years raising Sybok and Spock on Vulcan Jim slowly regained his memories regarding several missions. One of which involved Polywater intoxication.  The man who fenced was shirtless parading around the ship with a sword, Spock making an admission that he was ashamed to be his friend (Which Jim knew wasn't true), and many crew members having sex to name a few. He couldn't remember names other than Spock and Bones. Bones sounded a lot like a nickname. Jim could picture the face of a much older man with graying brown hair, blue scrubs, and a wedding ring.

The guardian of forever was a gigantic doughnut set in the middle of no where.

Bones one time went mad due to a injection he accidentally administered to himself and went into the past. Where he saved the life of Edith Keeler and caused the entire time stream to be messed up starting from 1960's. He knew this because he specifically lost contact with his ship and no ship was above the planet. The Guardian of  Forever was a object capable of drifting anyone to any time. A time machine, basically. It was quite a mystery to who created him and why he was left there. Edith Keeler was a woman that Jim otherwise fell for and someone he had to watch die by preventing Bones from saving her life. He could feel deep sorrow. 

_"Do you know what you've done? I could have saved her, Jim!" Bones said, as Jim stared in the direction of the dead woman._

_"He knows, he knows too well." Spock Prime replied._

Time to wake up the boys.

Sarek had told Jim about Kahs-wan. Spock was scheduled to take it in the month of Tasmeen and it required ten days without anything for that matter in Vulcan's forge. Though Spock was insisting he could do it on his own and preferred to have the rite of passage early, a month earlier. There was nothing special about sending the young Vulcans off to what could be their doom or their most prized experience. Sarek had also explained not many young Vulcans survived this ordeal and it left some of their arranged bondings over but mostly the families grieved together and arranged another bonding after their period of grief was over.

Jim knew that Spock would survive this.

Spock could just about survive anything, save for radiation.

_Jim could see the faint memory of a Vulcan leaned against a glass, weak, and miserable. He could feel such hurt coming from the older Vulcan who's face could not be seen. Jim approached the glass seeing his beloved dying. He put his hands on the glass, muttering, "Spock." He couldn't see the face, yet. He could see the wrinkles on the older Vulcan's hand.  He was older and so was Jim but younger than Spock by a couple years._

_"How is the ship?" Spock Prime asked._

_"Fine. .  ." Jim said. "Khan is dead."_

Jim finished his shower then got dressed.

_"I have . . and always will be. . . your friend. . ."_

_The hand slid down on the glass._

Jim approached Sybok's room.

"Sybook, waakkee up!" Jim sang.

Sybok tugged the blanked over his head.

"Not time yet!" Sybok said.

"It is always daylight on Vulcan and it is your time to be up and about," Jim said. "Don't make me sing the Barney song."

Sybok fell out of bed.

"I am up, I am up, I am up!" Sybok said.

Jim laughed shaking his head then he went to Spock's room.  There, he saw the old Sehlat snuggled below the bed. The younger Sehlat was given to Sybok a few years ago and it went missing. Jim always wondered what happened to it. This is I-Chaya, Sarek's Sehlat, who was brought over in its place. I-Chaya loved the little Vulcan as they shared a strong companion bond. The old I-Chaya raised his head up wagging his furry tail back and forth with his tongue sticking out like a dog. This was a beloved pet that had, under the circumstance, befriended Jim.

I-Chaya stood up then dragged Spock out of bed.

"Morning, I-Chaya." Spock said.

"Today is the daaaayyyy!" Jim sang.

"Singing is illogical." Spock said.

Jim had his bright face as Spock helped himself up.

"It is a bright occasion for you, Mr Spock." Jim said.

Spock's face was emotionless.

"My rite of passage." Spock said.

"The one you have _insisted_ on going earlier, yes, that." Jim said.

Jim went to the kitchen and prepared breakfast for Sybok and himself. Spock and Sybok went to the bathroom to get prepared for the day.  Jim wasn't making breakfast for Spock had clearly insisted he would start the rite of the passage at the house and then at Vulcan's forge. Jim believed it was cruel to allow a child to go alone to somewhere without a parent but this was Vulcans he was living with for the past several years. Thirty-two minutes later Sybok came to the table where his breakfast was sitting.

"Where is Spock?" Jim asked.

"He already left, Mr Kirk, ten minutes ago." Sybok said.

"And I-Chaya?" Jim asked.

"With Spock."  Sybok said.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

"I'll get that." Jim said.

"We are not expecting visitors." Sybok said.

Jim went to the door then turned the knob and oepned the door to see a familiar man with pointy ears, well trimmed hair, and brown eyes. He had a stoic emotionless face and he raised an eyebrow at Jim.  Jim raised an eyebrow at him. _Who the hell is this guy?_ , Jim thought, _I never seen him before_. The Vulcan reminded Jim of Spock but more of an adult than a child. The Vulcan had  a purple strap along his shoulder attached to a bag. He saw a black and blue uniform poking out.  The Vulcan lowered his eyebrow.

"Hello,  I am Selek." Selek introduced himself.

Jim lowered his eyebrow.

"Nice name, Salek," Jim held his hand out. "Family relative?"

"I do not shake hands." Selek said.

"Oh, right." Jim lowered his hand.

"I am the son of T'Pel and Sasak, Sasak is a distant cousin of Sarek." Selek said.

"How did you find yourself here?" Jim asked.

"I wanted to meet my cousins who I never met before." Selek said.

"Ah, you just missed one of your cousins," Jim said. "He is on his rite of passage."

"That early?" Selek asked, sounding surprised.

Which was unusual since Vulcans did not show emotions.

"Yes," Jim said. "And I didn't introduce myself. The name is Jim Kirk."

"Interesting name," Selek said. "Have you met your mate?"

"No . . . But I do miss him. I wish I remembered everything about him. Can't think about him too much, because if I do, there's no coming back," Jim sounded sad then he raised a eyebrow at Selek. "Is my story that well known?"  Selek nodded. Jim lowered an eyebrow. "Go figure." The  Vulcan raised his eyebrow. "It is a phrase."

Selek had a 'ooh' as though he understood.

"Ah, I see." Selek said.

"If you want to meet up with your cousin, just make sure you don't frighten I-chaya," Jim said. "Just a word of advice."

Selek nodded.

"You will remember him one day," Selek said, then held his hand up. "Live long and prosper."

The strange Vulcan turned away and went in the opposite direction of the house.

"Who was it?" Sybok asked.

"Long lost cousin of Spock's." Jim replied shutting the door behind him.

* * *

**. . . Ten days later. . .**

**. . . Vulcan . . . 12:49 AM. . .**

Most Vulcans were asleep that night, except for Sybok and Jim, they were waiting for Spock. Spock was supposed to be here after the tenth day. Sybok reasoned that Spock would come at 1:00 AM in the morning rather than straight forward in the hours when Jim and Sybok were awake. Jim found himself pacing back and forth, concerned, but mostly worried for the young Vulcan.

**Knock!**

**Knock!**

**Knock!**

Jim looked over to Sybok with a grin and he stopped pacing.

"Hide under the couch," Jim said. "We are going to surprise your brother."

"Surprising him is going to be 'illogical'." Sybok said.

"Have some fun in what Spock will warmly remember from his childhood." Jim said.

". . . He will be happy?" Sybok said.

"Of course, he will!" Jim said. "One day he will need to cherish these memories."

"Okay, that will be worth it." Sybok said.

Sybok hid under the couch as the knocking repeated.

"Come in!" Jim said.

The door creaked open.

And suddenly there was a dark atmosphere about the building. Time almost felt like it froze as the dark figures started to head in. There was a heavy feeling traveling in following the deep and very likely sinister threat. In came what was apparently masked Romulans. Jim was frozen in where he stood. His eyes tracking the five Romulan'ish figures who were not much the same height of  a Vulcan. He assumed they were Romulans as it was a convenient time to attack for them and that they knew the sleeping pattern of Vulcans.

"Where is the children of Sarek?" 

"There are no children here."

"You are the care taker of the children of Sarek. Where. are. they?"

"I don't know who are you talking about! There is no children here! I am staying here because Sarek needs some-one to house sit for him!  If there were children here wouldn't I know already? If I knew they were here wouldn't I be armed?" He glared at the leading Romulan. The other Romulans were sharing glances which were likely puzzled. "Think about it."

The leading Romulan growled.

"I have thought about this mission for weeks and scouted the household for months," The leading Romulan said. "This is the house of Sarek and you will tell us where the children are."

"There are no children in the house," Jim lied. "I am not sure if you are in the right house at all."

"Sarek cannot have brought his children aboard for a lengthy mission." The second Romulan said.

"They follow tradition and makes them a much easier target." The third Romulans said.

"They are  not for shooting practice." Jim said.

"Do you value their lives over yours?" The leading Romulan held their phaser up straight at Jim's chest. "Do you?"

 "I value the lives of children over mine," Jim said. "I would do anything to protect them."

"Too bad," The third Romulan said. "You would have made a great spot light for the loss of two Vulcans."

The leading Romulan shot three times into Jim's chest.

Jim collapsed to the floor.

"Let's go." The forth Romulan said.

The leading Romulan took out a communicator.

"Five to beam up." The leading Romulan said.

They all vanished in a golden light.

"Jamie!" Sybok shouted, crawling from under the couch.

Spock had taken the long path back to the home. The sunlight was beating on his skin and he did not sweat. Spock knew what he wanted to do and that was follow the teachings of Surak to the letter. He could see the door to the house was halfway open and he could hear the cries of his older brother. Which was odd because his older brother rarely did cry. Something had happened inside the house. Spock had lost his father's pet, I-Chaya, and his life was saved by his cousin Selek.

Spock walked into the apartment then into the living room where he saw a body on the floor and Sybok was shaking him.

"Jamie!" Sybok said. "Please wake up." He put his fingers in the respective places as though attempting for a mind meld but he was grabbed back by Spock. "I could save him!"

"You cannot," Spock said. "If you tried, you would go with him."

There was blood on the rug.

"He. . . he protected me." Sybok said.

Spock scanned his brother.

"From whom?" Spock said.

"I don't know," Sybok said. "He . . ." His eyes were watery. "We were going to surprise you and I hid under the couch."

"That would be called frightening, Sybok." Spock said.

"We need to. . ." Spock guided his brother down to the couch as he kept his cool. "We need to tell the healers."

Spock looked over toward the unresponsive body.

"Healers cannot heal him," Spock said. "He is. . ."  Spock came down to the old man's side. "Identity meld." He looked up toward Sybok. "We can at least do a favor for him by finding his identity."

"Over his dead body?" Sybok said. "That is disgusting."

"It is logical." Spock said, then he placed his fingers in their respective places for the identity meld. "I sense a mind." His eyes were closed. "It is puzzling, as death means the mind goes somewhere beyond and leaves what shell it used to inhabit. This mind . . .It goes by the name Jim Kirk." He squeezed his fingers. "I am. . . unable to . . ." He opened his eyes. "To find his identity."

"You just said that he is still alive." Sybok said.

"I did." Spock said.

"But he is dead." Sybok said.

"Help me put Jim on the couch." Spock said.

* * *

_"Guardian."  Spock Prime said._

_"Yes." Came the big doughnut._

_"I would like to experience the moment my father jumped in time." Spock Prime said._

_"The moment is part of a shared experience that leads to the moment." The guardian said._

_"I would like to go." Spock Prime said._

_"You cannot interfere with history." Guardian said._

_"But we are to observe, are we not?" Jim asked._

_"That is correct." The Guardian said._

_"I will go with him to ensure that history is not changed by what my commander does."  Jim said._

_"Jim. . ." Spock  Prime said._

_"You need someone to watch your six and I am the only one here who is liable to do that." Jim said._

_"That is true." Spock Prime said._

_"Fine," The guardian said. "It will take a few moments, but . . . I can get you there. Once the moment has transpired you will be returned to your own time." The two nodded. "Wait for me to give the word."_

_Spock and Jim's hands interlaced together, waiting, for five minutes._

_"Go." The guardian said._

_The two jumped in together. They landed in the transporter room. Jim landed first and Spock landed on Jim's back. The two slowly got up to see a dark interior that they hadn't seen before. They were surrounded by security officers holding their phasers up in their direction.  Jim smirked, muttering "Why that is a familiar situation." as he held his hands up and Spock joined adding, "Very familiar."_

_The two were escorted to the brig._

_"Isn't it strange how everyone looks at you?"_

_"I do not notice."_

_"Spock, they look at you like you are some Romulan."_

_"Shut up, traitors."_

_Jim stopped in his tracks._

_"Wait a second, what?"_

_The blonde woman turned in his direction with eyes flaring and her hand on her phaser._

_"Traitor." The blonde woman said._

_The word cut through Jim's heart like a dagger. A insult to his service in Star Fleet. There were people running down the halls going to different locations in the ship. It was like they were in constant battle ready mode.  Spock took the hand of Jim. Jim looked over toward Spock. Spock nodded toward his captain._

_Jim turned his head toward the blond, fueled by rage, and anger._

_"Who do you think you are calling me a traitor when you are wearing that uniform?" Jim asked. "I am not the one betraying the federation. In fact, my friend Spock is not the one you should be worried about." Spock had his gaze fixated on his captain. "It should be me, really, because there are so many things that are screwed up."_

_"Spock . . ." The woman said. "Half breed?"_

_"I protest against that name."  Spock Prime said.  
_

_"Oh--"_

_"Lieutentant Yar," Came a familiar older voice.  "What is holding you up with the prisoners?" There was a bald man heading her direction. "We have sight of a Vulcan and a so called 'archaeological' dig on the planet surface." Jim stared at the man. He was taking in all the details of this man in a dark red and black uniform with a phaser in a holster._

_Spock leaned to Jim's side and whispered into his ear._

_"I believe we in the moment leading to the moment." Spock Prime said._

_"What is this ship?" Jim asked.  
_

_"A warship,"  The captain said. Then he paused seeing Spock. "I saw you die myself on a Romulan-Vulcan ship fighting my ship,Captain Spock. Send him to the interrogation room."_

_"That's my first officer!" Jim said._

_"Now, he isn't." The captain said._

_"Who do you think you are?" Jim said._

_"Captain Picard." The captain said._

_Picard . . . Jean-Luc Picard._

_Images of a 20th century small bridge falling came into Jim's head with him on it. It was confusing to see this in a memory. Jim scowled as he was escorted from his first officer, and also technically his mate. He was taken into a wide room with a unusual structure of it being different to his ship. Like the one time Charlie Evans had caused mayhem and so he was locked up in the brig. The brig was black, all of it, black. The red light was what brightened it up. It had one metal bed, a placement for three people to sit on, and there were bricks with cracks in them._

_Jim couldn't believe what he had gotten himself into._

_He was alone in the room for thirty-two minutes._

_Jim saw a slowly walking older Vulcan come into the room._

_The Vulcan stopped in his tracks staring at Jim. His hair had turned from black to gray. There were two security guards behind him. One security guard lowered the force field. Jim was sitting down on the edge of the bed watching Sarek in awe. So that is what Spock Prime may look like when he got older. The force field closed behind the much older Vulcan returning to its bright red shade. It was so unlike the electrical powered shield that wasn't so obvious when coming up to it and attempting to get out.  
_

_"Sarek?" Jim said._

_It was Sarek, all right._

_"Captain Kirk," Sarek Prime said. "You should be dead."_

_Jim didn't seem all that surprised._

_"How far did we go?" Jim asked._

_"2369." Sarak Pprime said._

_"One hundred years . . ." Jim said. "Sarek, Spock is here."_

_Sarek stared a hole through Jim's forehead._

_"No," Sarek Prime said. "He is on Romulus. . ."_

_"I heard he died," Jim said. "Funny thing. A living Spock in the universe where he died, supposedly, by a federation starship."_

_"You went in the Guardian of Forever, twice." Sarek said._

_"Yes, only for observing." Jim said._

_"Why did you come here?" Sarek Prime said._

_Jim held his hands together._

_"We are here to observe," Jim said. "Sarek . . .are you aware that Spock and I are married?"_

_"It was a great loss for my son when you died," Sarek Prime said. "So yes, I was aware. Spock told me the news one day,two hours, and thirty-two minutes after the marriage bonding was made." He looked at Jim with fondness in his eyes. "He really loved you."_

_Jim smiled._

_"Spock really cares about you," Jim started, with his usual staccato delivery. "And I suspect you already knew that, but he is concerned about you regarding a event that I will not disclose."_

_Sarek nodded._

_"It is only logical." Sarek Prime said._

_"Huh?" Jim said._

_"I become Surak," Sarek Prime said. "He was killed in his time before his duties were completed and so the entire race of Vulcans have become unbalanced, illogical,cruel, and joined with Romulans. I cannot believe this is a ship of war." He looked down toward his hands. "Captain . . . How do you manage to convince people that you are harmless when they refuse to believe?"_

_"I believe they follow their heart." Jim said._

_In walked Captain Picard to the room with a scowl on his face._

_"You are in a uniform that has since passed," Captain Picard said. "If I believe you are who you are."_

"Call me Observer if you'll like," Jim said. "Or Jim, preferably."

"Kirk." Sarek said, alarmed.

_Jim saw his hands were vanishing._

_"That's new," Jim said, then he turned his head toward Sarek. "Tell him."_

_"I will." Sarek  Prime said._

_Jim vanished into thin air._

* * *

"Where is his wound?" Spock asked.

"I swear he was fired at by a phaser of some sort. A Disruptor. You saw the hole as clearly as I did!" Sybok replied.

Voices of children, confused, and most likely uncertain what to do.

"What hole."

"Oh my god."

"This is illogical."

"Brother, he just came back from the dead."

"There must be a logical answer."

Jim's eyes fluttered open to see the brown cieling. He could feel a pain in his chest.

"You saw how it healed."

"That took five hours."

"We saw a miracle, his heart repaired itself, and that was . . . That was awesome!"

"What is not awesome as the rug needs to be replaced and father will need to hear of this." Spock said.

Jim got upright hearing his heart beat. He then noticed sounds he hadn't heard before. A pair of heart beats. He could hear his heart which was odd. Wait, that sound he had heard a lot made sense. This was the sound. Hearts! He had been hearing hearts. Distinctive heart beats. The mystery of the unknown heart beats was solved. Somehow his hearing had become enhanced.

"I want to tell your father for myself,"  Jim said. "When he gets back." He clenched at his chest. "Owch."  Jim looked over to see the rug folded up laid beside the table leg. "I got an idea."

"We tell father." Spock said.

"No, we use the laundry machine to get rid of the dirt and put it back," Jim said, getting up. "And I need a new shirt. Definetly Romulans." He used the table as his support. "This never. . . happened before." He got upright seeing the concerned look on Sybok's face. "I am perfectly, fine, just need to . . ." He looked over toward the couch where there was a circular puddle of blood. "Damn, this is going to be difficult."

"We must tell father." Spock said, firmly, as Jim went into the guest room.

"Brother," Sybok said, putting one hand on Spock's shoulder then he waited until Jim was out of ear shot. "Mr  Kirk doesn't remember a thing and it if turns out that he was part of some tragic event that could spell certain disaster, do you want to be part of it?"

Spock nodded.

"Logically," Spock said. "I must be part of it. I have sent a DNA sample of Jim to Star Fleet."

"And?" Sybok asked.

"No DNA match." Spock said.

"What?" Sybok asked, eyebrows raised.

"He didn't match anything, they checked and rechecked," Spock said. "I am fairly certain there is some technicality regarding his DNA test."

"What is your theory." Sybok said.

"I do not have enough evidence to provide a sound theory." Spock said.

"Try me." Sybok said.

"Jim is from the future." Spock said,

Sybok raised an eyebrow.

"State your evidence." Sybok said.

"He talked about Klingons becoming semi-peaceful with the federation and how he foiled a assassination plot." Spock said.

Sybok lowered an eyebrow.

"That was a story." Sybok said.

"But the parts he has been remembering these few years seem too realistic to be fictional. He has lived it." Spock said.

"And why do you suppose he calls you Commander?"  Sybok asked.

"He served with _a_ Spock, not some Vulcan like me."  Spock said.

"Somehow I doubt that." Sybok said.

Jim rummaged through the shirts on hangars, door closed, in the secluded guest room. Jim didn't have much to live with, just with a golden combadge, clothes, a few pictures, and a couple belongings  that were made by Spock for him.  Jim picked a shirt, took off the old one,and then put on his refreshing new shirt. He dumped the old shirt into the recycling. Jim sat down on the bed rubbing the side of his forehead. He remembered seeing a needle. He remembered hearing a unfamiliar voice.

_"You can't die right now, you old fool." Came a younger voice._

_"Who are you again?" Jim asked, barely hanging on._

_"Why that is very rude of you. Forgetting someone who's been helping you out of the nexus this entire time!" The man said._

_"I don't know who you are."  Jim said.n_

_"Yes, the hell you do. Listen to me, human . . . You have some one significant waiting for you and you better sit still while this baby does its purpose!" The man injected him into the arm. "Trust me . . . " The man looked at him in sincere. "I know you are not going to kill me. The universe knows you. I know you. Spock knows you. . . You are Admiral Jim," The face was distinctive. He had brown hair that was graying at the sides. "And you are going to find your lovesick mate."_

_The man took the needle out after the contents emptied into the blood stream._

_He felt unusually tired and unwell._

_"W. . .Who. . . who are you?" Jim asked._

_The man tossed the needle over his shoulder._

_He pried open the combadge then placed a small item into it and clicked it shut putting it into Jim's right hand and made his chubby fingers wrap around the object._

_"Former celestial being." The man said,_

_"Your name. . . seriously." Jim said._

_They heard snarls._

_The man looked over his shoulder then back toward Jim._

_"Q," The man said. "I am just doing this because you made a impression on my son."_

_"Trelane."  Jim said._

_"And I am also doing this because I have nothing else to do in this universe . . ." Q said. "Remember, you are the reason why I was kicked out."_

_"For saving me?" Jim asked._

_"Precisely." Q said._

_"That has some heart to it." Jim said._

_"Aw stop, you are making me sound like a puppy." Q said._

_Q walked over to the machine consoles. Jim noticed he was on a metal board of some kind. He saw the door being punched by some force. Q was rattling off about something, mostly how the trip will be and how fast he would be landing of some kind. In his voice was some form of urgency and fear. He pulled down a leveler then looked toward Jim with a serious face. It was the grim kind. The door was forced open. Q grabbed a pipe._

_"Over my dead vessel do you intervene!" Q shouted then he stabbed the long pipe into the beasts collar._

_The beast roared slashing its large gigantic claws at the man._

_"Yes, yes, yes!" Q said, stepping back. "All eyes on me!"_

_Three more beasts came into the room as there was a bright light consuming the room._

_"Q. . ."  Jim said._

_"And don't worry!" Q shouted back. "You are never going to die. Your most life threatening injuries are gone for the moment . . ." Q stepped out of Jim's line of sight. "But not the none-lethal injury on your head." He could hear the sound of Q stepping back, the sound  of a grenade being turned on, and it became clear this man didn't intend to die being devoured. "Good luck!"_

Jim opened his eyes.

"Q . . ." Jim said. "Who is Q?"

Jim got up then went out of the room opening the door.

"Spock, Sybok, have you been up all day?" Jim asked.

"Affirmative." The two replied. 


	11. Exiled

**. . . 2238. . .**

**. . . Vulcan. . .. May 1st. . .  
**

"Mr Kirk?"

"Yes?"

There was no gentle way to say this for what a couple Vulcans had to do.

"Please step aside, we have matters of great importance to conduct."

He could see these were some important Vulcans so he took a step aside. He stepped aside allowing the group to come in. The second  Vulcan explained the matter of importance. Sybok had done something of utterly . . . Total shame. That is how Jim would put it. He had attempted to find his mother's katra. His mother was a Vulcan Priestess  (or used to be) and had conducted a process that eliminated all emotions to conduct her practice of total logic which nulled her marriage with Sarek before he had met Amanda.

They wouldn't say what Sybok did.

They only said "You wouldn't understand" which was hurtful.

Thankfully Spock was at school.

Sybok?

He had stayed home pretending to be sick. He was the trouble maker. Fifteen years old and he reminded Jim of his brother Samuel.  Jim had to painfully watch the officials take Sybok. Hours passed. Sybok didn't come back, grinning ear to ear, stubborn as ever. He was exiled off Vulcan at such a young age along with his other friends. Jim sat down into the chair soaking in the situation he had been placed in. He watched history unfold differently. Sure, it would have transpired differently if Sarek was in the boys lives.

Spock was eight years old.

Jim could feel his spidey senses tingling.

Something was going to happen.

This year.

It was the kind of 'danger' alarm in his head.  It was the 'Spock is eventually going to get into trouble this year that isn't name calling or any of the sorts'.  Spock didn't talk much about what happened at school. One time Spock came back with a black eye and Sybok had to explain that one away, "Someone insulted his mother." and  another time his knuckles were bruised, Sybok explained that one away as well, "Oh, someone insulted you, Mr Kirk." That only brought concern.

Jim mostly was concerned that he was getting picked on because of him.

Having  a human in the house with a impressionable halfbreed.

Spock came back with a bloody nose.

"Where's Sybok?" Spock asked.

"He was exiled," Jim said. "Chin up," He got some tissues. "And let me wipe that blood off your face."

Spock stood there, emotionless, as Jim guided him to the kitchen then used some tissue paper that had some dap of water and cleaned the blood. The blood was red unlike the many times Jim had seen his first officer bleed where when he had green blood. Eventually the blood was cleaned off and Jim put the tissue paper into the trash can. Spock gave a small,  "Thank you." then Spock went on to do research possibly to bury his emotions.

Jim decided, it was time to make that call regarding what had happened last year.

Jim read the Vulcan news on the padd.

Sybok was exiled along with twelve others about his age and some of them were older.

Jim briefly closed his eyes.

"Oh Sybok . . ." Jim said, with a little sigh and a shake of his head.

Jim would make that call after Spock goes to bed.

Jim knew he would be breaking the kids heart but he had to.  Knowing Sarek, he would want to come right away despite the threat being on the down low. Sarek would likely be back in six months. Maybe less, but he had to be prepared. It would hurt Jim too leaving the planet but he almost spoke like them with their logic and all! And he did like vegetables more than he had prior to coming.

Jim hated to say goodbye to Spock.


	12. Bullets from another century

**. . . 2239 . . .**

**. . January 1st. .**

Spock was nine years old. Jim had a cane because he felt pain in his leg. This kind of pain was unusual since he hadn't experienced it in what feels like decades. He got a cane in August. It was difficult to walk. Whatever Q had injected him failed to do anything about his leg. His spidey sense was still tingling. Sarek was going to be here tomorrow since he had re-valuated the situation and decided to return along with his wife.

Sarek was not at the least surprised about Sybok's exile.

Jim had packed his belongings while Spock was asleep.

They were going to the zoo with a large enclosure for each animal to make it seem at home. It was logical, no fences or bars, just a electrical screen that they could not scale over. His leg had been acting strangely. He could not feel his leg. Perhaps it was tied to that spidey feeling? He had that golden combadge in his pocket. He took the golden combadge out of his pocket into his right hand. It was uncomfortable walking on the leg well actually both legs for that matter. It is like he had to sit down. What did he do to deserve this kind of pain? In all of the universe it had to be the day before.

They were visiting the zoo for Spock's birthday.

"Hey,Mr Kirk!" Came a young male voice. Instead of continuing to walking, both Jim and Spock turned in the direction of the question calling. "Why don't you age?"

Jim's eyes caught the sight of the pistol trigger being pressed on. Circa twentieth century.  The gun was aimed at Spock's direction. Jim heard the sound of his heart racing. Spock's wasn't going any faster than it usually does. Spock was stoic staring at the Romulan with eyes that bore nothing of interested. Jim let go of the cane then he acted in speed and with great urgency: he pushed Spock out of the way.

Spock landed on the ground hands first then he looked over to his caregiver on the ground on his side. He watched the Romulan fade off into the distance as Vulcans surrounded them appearing to be concerned. Spock came to the side of Jim who seemed to be shot straight at the chest. How many times? Spock wouldn't know at all. He hadn't seen the gun shots.

"Jim!" Spock said.

"Spock . . ." Jim placed the golden arrow into Spock's hands. "It is yours now." Jim had a weak smile. "For when we meet again."

"Don't say that," Spock said, shaking his head coming to the verge of tears. "You are not going to die."

"I hope you meet me." Jim said, and then he lost consciousness as his eyes closed.

"Captain?" Spock sounded distressed, as he shook the unresponsive man. "Captaaaaain!"


	13. Heartbreak after one another

Spock watched the small passenger ship lift off with Jim inside heading directly toward Earth for a medical emergency. That is how they are going to figure out the secret of Jim Kirk his identity, hopefully.  He had the golden arrow in his pocket with his science instructor Spaurk by his side. Another passenger medical ship landed on the pad that had the  Star Fleet emblem. The door opened and out came two men in Star Fleet uniform.

"So where is the patient?" The first man asked.

Spock felt his whole world became blurry.

He was standing there as his instructor did most of the talking.

"Another medical ship picked him up." Spaurk said.

"Um, we are the only one assigned to pick him up." The first man said.

"You are implying your patient has been abducted against his will." Spaurk said.

The man's face became darkened.

"Why would someone abduct an elderly?" The second man asked.

Spock turned around and ran. 

"Spock!" Spaurk shouted.

Spock ran and ran. All until he made to the house. He returned to the room where Jim's stuff had once been and it was empty. He had given  Jim's belongings except for the golden item to the 'medics'. Spock was trembling. He was gone. Out of his life so to speak and from Vulcan. He then went to the couch and had his head positioned upwards, his head propped up by the edge of the cushion, and he put his hands on the side of his face. Today was the most painful day he ever had.

Spock lowered his hands down to his side and went over what experience he had with Jim in his life.

 **Knock, knock, knock**.

Three gentle knocks.

Spock approached the door then he opened it to see two officers.

"Hello, I am Captain Marcus and this is my first officer Pike," The much taller man introduced himself. "We are here to ask about the abduction."

Spock looked over toward the man with much darker hair.

"My name is Spock." Spock said, then he stepped side making the door be fully opened. "Come in, would you like some tea?"

The two men shared raised eyebrows then turned back toward Spock.

"No," Captain Marcus said. "We don't."

The two star fleet officers came in and took the conversation to the living room.

"What did they look like?" Pike asked.

"Tall," Spock said. "The first one had blue eyes. Their ears appeared to be different like someone attempted to flatten their ears only they failed. The second one had green eyes. The first one was five-three and the second man was five-five. They had the same short hair cut." He held his hands together. "They appeared generally concerned for him."

"What did they ask?" Marcus asked.

"How long he's been here," Spock said. "Six years. Also how fast he's been healing. Matter of hours."

Pike leaned forward with a raised eyebrow.

"You are that kid who mailed that DNA sample," Pike said. "Do you know what you sent us?"

"No." Spock said.

"You sent us bio-engineered DNA," Pike said. "Caused quite a stir."

Marcus appeared to be impressed.

"Where is he from?" Marcus asked.

"Iowa, Earth," Spock said. "He  . . . was one of you people."

The two raised an eyebrow.

"But we don't have a Jim Kirk in Star Fleet," Marcus said. "I would know if there is a Jim Kirk in Star Fleet."

"He talked like a admiral.  There are specific indicators where he had nostalgia in memories that he was regaining," Spock said. "If I am interested in star fleet. . . could you. . . do me a favor and tell me when you have found him?" His  eyes were full of plead. "I would greatly appreciate it."

Pike and Marcus shared a look.

"Its not going to hurt." Pike said.

"Like hell it is. He might back out." Marcus said.

"Something tells me he won't," Pike said, then turned his head toward Spock. "We will." Pike had a nod. "Now, what about the ship? Was there anything different about it?"


	14. Found

**. . . 2258. . .**

Thankfully for being a man in a comatose like state for a good twenty some years, they don't feel pain and they feel at peace. They relive memories. What memories did Jim relive? Some of them involved women but a majority of them involved his Spock. His missions off and on his ship. These memories were returning memories. He didn't remember the names of the other people. Jim remembered more of his quarters, the transporter room, sick bay, engineering, and the bridge to name a few.

Something cold and square met Jim's skin then came out.

"Lieutenant Commander, we are not suppose to wake up these people until we come back with back up!" Came a gruff voice.

Jim's eyes adjusted to the scenery.

"Lieutentant," Came a familiar voice that was monotone and smooth. "I am obligated to do this."

"Why,  Mr Spock?" The gruff voiced man asked.

Selek is Spock?

Jim's eyes became better and clear as the familiar face came over.

He still did not remind Jim of his Spock. There was . . . something missing. It was . . . the eyebrows? Maybe not. Definitely not the eyebrows. Something about the face didn't seem to fit the blurry face he saw in his memories. He recognized the Vulcan as Spock, the young boy he had been there for six years. The young boy who was by his side when he shoved him to the side and took what was meant for the Vulcan. He felt something cold and hard slip into his palm then some hands force his fingers over the item.

"Spock, is that you?" Jim said.

After reliving his memories for so long, Jim was quite startled hearing his own voice.

Staccato.

Pause between words.

"Affirmative." Spock said.

A memory of a  Vulcan with a goatee came into his head. It was like a vague scratch of the mystery as to what his Spock appeared. The pain in his legs were gone. Sybok, Sarek, Amanda, Spock, Bones, John, Dorian, and Sam . . . and other people he has met. He could list a hundred names but not the names of the few people he served with for forty some years. It was quite sad having amnesia. There was footsteps coming in their direction. Spock looked over to some man's direction then back toward Jim. Spock's voice sounded nothing like the voice he had heard for forty years.

Speaking of which . . . Chekov.

He remembered another name.

That was another milestone.

_Jim saw a unfamiliar memory of a young man in a yellow on the dirt with a holster wrapped around his side and a woman by his side. He had a football sized set of brown hair. He was Russian. He adored Russia. Bones was knelt by his side placing his two fingers along the young man's neck. Bones froze then he looked toward Jim with a sad expression about his face, saying, "He's dead, Jim."_

"We will be right back, Admiral." Spock said.

"How do you know I am an Admiral?" Jim asked.

"You are shitting me!" The gruff voiced man whispered back.

Spock vanished out of Jim's line of sight. His legs felt so . . . numb. His back was relatively stiff.

_"Damn it,  Jim," He could recall Bones. "You have been laying down for so long your legs can't move."_

_"Ah hell."  Jim said._

_"When Vulcans have that problem, we try to work out our body parts and rehabilitate them." Spock Prime said._

_"At least there's one similarity with Vulcans and humanity!"  Bones said. "We all need rehab!"_

Jim could recall laughing at that comment.

Like he referred to it, his golden years.

"Patient zero is going to lead Star Fleet to us." Came a New  Jersey accent.

Jim closed his eyes.

"Damn it, it was your job, Philips, to _kill_ him!" Came another man with a Iowan like accent. "One simple job!"

Who was patient zero?

"I tried!" Philips, the guy from New Jersey, said.

"Oh, like sending in some professional star fleet officers and instead get transferred to a science unit where he will do unspeakable evil." The Iowan said.

"I didn't expect that to happen." Philips said.

"You didn't expect the grim reaper to come out of the dead and rip him to pieces, didn't you?" The Iowan said, walking toward a machine.

"The reaper is just a myth to not mess with genetic structure." Philips said.

"Look Philips," The Iowan said.  "If he doesn't find us before they do, we are screwed royally and he will kill us in such a manner we will not know we were dead!"

"Come on, Hank, he's just a warning tale," Philips said.  "He died _two hundred_ some years ago."

"They never found his body in the _Union Aerospace Corporation_." The Iowan said.

"Just because everyone connected to Olduvia and the UAC died under mysterious circumstance does not mean we have a assassin on our tracks."

"They never found John and Sam's bodies." The Iowan said.

"So?" Philips said.

"If Star Fleet finds us and get us, it will make it just that more easy for John to KILL US!" The Iowan said.

"If you valued your life, why did you continue to test the C-24 on inmates and get the same damn results?" Philips asked.

"Because we have to try in the benefit for the lives of others." The Iowan said.

"Oh, and when this fails, what else do we do?" Philips said.

"We work on making killer superhuman animals." The Iowan said.

"God no." Philips said.

"God yes, they will one day become integrated into our society and will be valued as prized individuals." The Iowan said.

"You sound more mad than John  Hammond." Philips said.

"John Hammond is a fictional character who was focused on _dinosaurs_ ," The Iowan said. "He was in the wrong field." He went over to a table. "I have a interest in this that is more important your little 'morals'." Philips frowned. "And by the way, I want you to get him off our fucking tail. Get rid of the evidence."

"That is going to be a little difficult with your on air confession of abducting prison inmates and using them on a serum that has since become a illegal and catastrophic threat," Came Spock's voice. "We strongly recommend you do not raise alarms and if you value your lives over the death of others you will make an announcement to cease operations."

There was a growl.

"Oh hell no!"

**CL-CLASH.**

"HANK, NO!"

The table flipped over and there was a dog like growl. Jim opened his eyes to see the feet of  a dragon like beast with chunks of shoe parts dangling of the scale and the talons. Phaser fire was imminent. A man screamed running down the hall. Jim heard Spock make a familiar request that wasn't familiar but at the same time it was, "Spock to _Talon_ , one to beam up!" His scenery around him changed to a perfectly white interior much like a hospital room. He felt something small in his throat that was cold and metal like. It is definitely not something he would want to eat, if ever. How did that land in his throat?

Oh great.

Jim has to puke.

Jim turned over and puked out what he had.

**Kling.**

**Kling.**

**Ca-ling.**

Jim squinted his eyes at the three small bent and twisted pieces of metal. All of which used to be bullets. A machine whizzed over cleaning up the space and got rid of the liquid. A doctor in blue scrubs came over with hair that had some blue highlights. He took out a circular item that had a handle similar to a magnifying glass then he came to the side of the biobed as the machine whizzed away. The doctor scanned Jim with the item that made a unusual ringing sound. He could hear heart beats.

"Ooh my god," The doctor said, lowering the tricorder.  "You are perfectly healthy."

"What year is it?" Jim asked.

"2255."  The doctor said.

"Wait . . . I have been out for sixteen years?" Jim asked.

"Yes, sir," The doctor said. "You still look sixty-eight."

Jim wanted to correct the doctor that he still looked _sixty_.

Not sixty-eight.

His hands were wrapped around the golden arrow. No wonder Q gave the item to him. It made sense. Whatever Q injected into him could possibly work on Spock and if he were to become some form of zombie because it went terribly wrong then Jim will have to do it. Jim  will have to kill the Vulcan who he loved the most in his life. The one who he still could not remember his face. In his memory, the Vulcan's face was a blur kind of like in a fast paced action sequence. It pained Jim _not_ to remember.

He didn't feel numbness in his legs or his back.

Great.  All he needed was adrenaline because he hadn't moved for so long. Who was Trelane? What was Trelane? He might be celestial as Q referred to himself as a former celestial being. Jim wouldn't be surprised if he were popular among the godly beings. It wouldn't be a surprise if they disapproved one of their own helping him and kicking their own out after aiding him. He had to do some research about this Olduvia and this duo called Sam and John. Not the two he was thinking about. No. Not quite possible. John wasn't that kind of man. 

"May I have a padd?" Jim asked.


	15. What is in a name

_"Captain." Came Spock's voice over the communicator._

_Jim held his communicator in one hand._

_"Yes?" Jim said._

_"Are you out of the woods yet?" Spock Prime asked._

_"Almost." Jim said._

_"Good." Spock Prime said, cooly._

_"Mr Spock, might I remind you there is one person who should be worrying is me and it should be me worrying about you." Jim said._

_"Our roles are made to be that way," Spock Prime said. "You are my captain and first officer's duty is to the captain."_

_Jim laughed._

_God, did he love Spock's reasoning._

_"Spock, continue to attempt hailing the Enterprise," Jim said.  "I am on my way."_

_"Excellent," Spock Prime said. "Talking to a rock is almost getting boring."_

_Jim chuckled._

_"I will be right there, Ashayam," Jim said. "Kirk out."_

_Jim flipped off his communicator._

* * *

  **. . .2255 . .**

**. . . Four hours after being rescued. . . . Heading to Earth . . .**

"I know your name." Spock said.

"My name?" Jim said.

"Affirmative," Spock said. "Your name is James T. Kirk."

Jim blinked.

"Doesn't ring a bell." Jim said.

"You must have used the name often in your field." Spock said.

Jim shook his head.

"I am sorry, but I don't," Jim said. "I really appreciate it. . . And what about the lab that I was in for sixteen years? What happened to it?"

"We have . . . eliminated it off the planet." Spock said. 

"Wow." Jim said.

"No one should be given the power to be God,"  Spock said. "Does the name. . .  Leonard H.  McCoy ring a bell?"

A memory of a young woman leaning against the table looking rather sad came into his mind. 

_"What is it,Nurse Chapel?"  Jim asked._

_"Doctor  McCoy is dying." Chapel said._

_That can't be true._

_Not McCoy._

"Apparently you have met him." Spock remarked. 

Jim realized he was smiling.

"He's the man who saved your katra." Jim said.

 Spock raised a eyebrow as Jim covered his mouth.

"Pardon?" Spock said.

Jim shrugged.

Damn it.

He just disobeyed the prime directive.

"That was a lie." Jim lied.

Spock lowered his eyebrow.

"I would not put my katra in the hands of a cadet when my time is coming to a near, let alone a Romulan or a human inadequately introduced into Vulcan medicology." Spock said.

Jim's eyes widened.

What had he _done_?

He had made a error by being Spock's caregiver. He has made a mistake by accepting Sarek's offer. He had definitely, very much, made a impression on the Vulcan. A error that could not be fixed. Spock did not despise the Romulans. Not his Spock. Perhaps being flung to Vulcan's not-so-distant past was a huge error. Why Q send him there in the first place? There had to be a reason. What reason? To get a head start on his memories.  Jim's hazel eyes returned to their usual size and he let out a sigh accepting his error. 

_"Jim."_

_"Yes, Spock?"_

_"Are you out of the forest yet?"_

_For a while he stared at the child contemplating what he meant._

_"Almost."_

_"Good."_

_It reminded him of a conversation he once shared with  Spock Prime. Almost to the tea._

"Spock, when you asked if I was out of the forest . . . what did you mean?" Jim asked.

"I meant if you were out of your confused mental state." Spock replied.

Jim had a short lived smile.

"Lieutenant Commander, huh?"  Jim asked.

"I entered Star Fleet, and quickly rose in the ranks." Spock said,

"Just how long ago did you enter?" Jim asked.

"Five months,thirteen days, three hours, and forty-three minutes. I passed most of the classes." Spock said.

"You are still in the academy," Jim said. "In some way."

"Are you doubting that I am telling the truth?" Spock asked.

"I wouldn't be surprised." Jim said.

"Vulcan's do not lie," Spock said.  "Where do you intend to go?"

"Iowa," Jim said. "Though not where where I would be living at the moment. I got enough federation credits to substantiate a living."

"Tell me," Spock said. "How connected are you to my future?"

"Spock, I can't tell you that," Jim said. "Fate has a way of ensuing everyone gets to where they belong. I can't rush that."

"You are currently enrolled in the academy with Leonard H. McCoy as your roommate," Spock said, "If I were to introduce you--"

"No, Spock." Jim said, firmly.

"Why?" Spock asked. 

"You can't force it to happen. I can't allow you to initiate this awkward meeting for the sake of your curiosity," Jim said. "What I had with my Spock is something . ." He paused, gazing at the planets whisking by, contemplating how to best describe it. "That is made by the passage of time." He looked over toward Spock. "I know how curious you are. How fascinated you must be by someone out of their own time. If I were to spoil you of a great time we had then it wouldn't be as fun as it was the first time around. You must learn restraint. If I met you, in my youth, then  I would be a cocky mess. You wouldn't want to know me then not until . . ." He stopped. "I can't." He shook his hand. "I am sorry, Spock, but I am having no part of this."

Spock appeared to be disappointed.

"Lieutenant Commander Spock to the debriefing room." Came a voice. 

"Live long and prosper." Spock held up the Vulcan hand sign.

_"How many fingers am I holding up?" Jim asked, sitting down on the bed holding up the Vulcan gesture._

_"Damn it,Jim, don't pull that trick on me!" Bones said, bitterly._

Jim smiled.

Jim reciprocated.

Spock turned away then exited the guest quarters with his hands behind his back.

"Bones," Jim said, his head lowered down toward the sketch on the padd that he had drawn. "I wish you knew what I did."

Jim only knew what Bones would say: " _Damn it, Jim, you messed up Spock!"_


	16. Evacuation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The story title comes full circle.

**. . . 2258. . .**

Last year Jim adopted a Vulcan child. A little girl named T'Prin. He missed raising a Vulcan. Raising a Vulcan was . . . fun. T'Prin missed her home planet so he moved to Vulcan for the final time.  Since he was familiar to the culture of Vulcan, it was a logical choice for Jim to adopt the little one. Her parents died in a shuttle crash. He knew much about her society and culture enough since he had lived on that planet for six some years. She was a little one. She was one hundred percent Vulcan. She reminded him of Spock in some little way. She showed emotion. Which was awfully cute.

She was also two years old.

The city had grown massive since the last time he had been there. The city where Spock had been born and raised. The ground trembled beneath Jim's  feet. T'Prin was busy playing with her pleenok. Jim went out of the house to see a familiar anchor down into the planet.  It was like a blast was sent through him. Images, words, letters, names, and the outside of a ship was seen in his memory. No wait, _Constitution_ class starship.

**USS Enterprise 1701.**

_"I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise D." Picard introduced himself._

_Jim raised an eyebrow._

_"Enterprise D?" Jim said, with eyebrows raised._

_Picard smiled._

_"It has been a long time, admiral." Picard said._

 

It was like he had been frozen in time.

 

 

_"The Enterprise is bein' pulled down toward the planet, captain, we're tryin' all the tricks." Came the voice of Scotty over the communicator._

 

 

_"Captain James T. Kirk of the USS Enterprise," Jim said, sitting in his chair from across the screen that displayed the then-alive-Nero. "Who are you?"_

_"I am Nero, captain of the Narada," Nero said. "And I am going to make you suffer dearly."_

 

 

_"How is she, Bones?" Jim asked, as they stood near the doorway to sick bay._

_"Lieutenant Uhura has lost all her memories."  Bones said._

 

 

_"My name is Khan, Khan Noonien Singh." Came the reply from the man with tan skin and dark hair.  There was something very wrong about him._

 

_  
"The tribbles. . ."_

_"What is it,Bones?"_

_Bones shuddered._

_"They_ starved _to death."_

_"Hello, I am Q!"_

_Jim frowned._

_"What kind of name is that?"_

_"I will totally ignore that statement, I am going to help you, and you are so going to give me credit for brightening your boring life."_

_"What are you?"_

_"Q."_

_"What. are. you?"_

_"Q!"_

_"You are not a letter."_

_Q frowned, folding his arms._

_"Damn you simple minded humans. You think so acutely."_

_"Hey!"_

_Q unfolded his arms._

_"I am a Q, who's helping you out of here. You are dead. Congratulations," Q grinned grabbing Jim by the shirt. "You are an echo who I am going to make real again."_

_And he felt very afraid right then._

_Who wouldn't be?_

 

 

_"I'll be right back, I promise."  
_

_The Vulcan frowned._

_"Promises are broken."  
_

_Jim was relaxed, casual, then he stepped off the transporter then grabbed Spock by the shoulder._

_"I will keep it,and  I will give you a kiss to seal that promise."_

_Jim broke his promise._

 

_S P O C K!_

 

_"Today is the last day we serve as crew members of the USS Enterprise," Jim said. "In twenty-four hours we will be docking to the station and returning to Earth." Jim looked over toward the Vulcan who seemed to be . . . quite emotional in those eyes. They used to be so full of logic and straight forward 'I do not have emotions, captain'. "The past five years has full of  adventures, and I am pleased to say, it has been a rather honoring experience. Kirk out."_

_Uhura looked as though she was ready to burst into tears._

_Bones put one hand on Jim's shoulder._

_Jim looked over._

_Jim saw Spock's face._

_It then returned to Jim._

_Five years of that face, that voice, those eyes, those eyebrows, and the face._

_The one he would later risk his career and life for._

_Spock._

 

"I remember." Jim said. _  
_

Jim ran back into the house and picked up T'Prin.

"Daddy?" T'Prin asked, as Jim hurried out of the house to the towns square.  "Rat is rong?"

There were several Vulcans flooding into the large ships.

"Children only!" Came the announcement.

Jim lowered the little girl to her feet.

"Go aboard the ship." Jim said.

T'Prin seemed to be scared.

"But daddy." T'Prin said.

"Do as daddy says. I will find you, I promise," Jim said. _I am not breaking this promise_ , Jim swore to himself.  "Wherever you are, daddy will find you."

T'Prin nodded.

"I will keep you to it." T'Prin said.

Jim hugged T'Prin, muttering, "I love you. You'll always be my little girl." into her ear. Jim then guided her to the pathway of children heading to the  large ships. He stepped back watching T'Prin be guided in by the swarm of children assimilating her in. T'Prin looked over her shoulder in the arms of a older male Vulcan probably around ten years old. She waved a little at Jim's direction. Jim waved back. She turned her head away. Damn, this be the way how fathers felt sending their children off the boat of the Titanic to emergency life boats.

Jim wiped off a tear.

The ground was trembling beneath Jim's feet ever so lightly but it was obvious. The Vulcans could not feel it but a super enhanced person could. Jim knew what he was carrying inside him. The sea of children did not seem to end. Then the back end went up. Three more passenger ships came down. Pregnant Vulcans went in first. Then Vulcans with babies. They were doing it quite logically, far as Jim had to say. The passenger ship with his adopted daughter T'Prin Kirk lifted off into the sky. There were other passenger ships heading in the same direction.

Precious minutes the planet of Vulcan had.

 _Spock . . . I am glad you can't see Vulcan be in the middle of chaos_ , Jim thought with comfort.

Jim was thankful that he had acted quickly and sent her off.

Jim saw the crowd become smaller and smaller as the seconds ticked by.

A much older class of the passenger ship landed on the ground.

 

 _"And don't worry!" Q shouted back. "You are_ never _going to die_!"

 

Jim was out of the woods.

 

_"I will put this lightly: if you value your life, you mustn't think of him. Do it for him.  It is likely he did not intend to hurt you with a dissolved marriage bond."_

 

_"Spock. . ." Jim said, his head below the Vulcan as they were in bed._

_"Yes?" The Vulcan said, undisturbed.  
_

_"I have, and always will be, yours." Jim said.  
_

_The Vulcan had a smile._

_"As am I." Spock Prime said, as he could feel the man's hand on his chest.  
_

 

Jim could remember a photo he took of with Spock.

 _His_ Spock.

_"1990's technology." Spock Prime observed._

_"Think you can do it?" Jim asked._

_"There is no 'I think' there is: I can."  Spock Prime said._

_Jim smiled._

_"Fantastic." Jim said._

 

Jim felt relieved to remember everything.

Things that had been previously impossible to remember.

 

_There was only one logical solution as to why Jim is here._

_His Spock was_ here.

In this universe.

 

_"I am visiting Vulcan."  Spock Prime said._

_"Make sure you call me." Jim said._

_"Live long and prosper." Spock Prime said._

 

_"Two years!" Jim said._

_"I do realize---" Spock Prime started, but is cut off by Jim._

_"'TWO. YEARS," Jim emphasized.  "You didn't send me a message. Nothing. Kaput!"_

_"I was emotionally compromised." Spock Prime said._

_Jim glared at the direction of Spock._

_"Does that mean we are over, Spock?" Jim asked.  "Because I cannot feel that bond anymore."_

_McCoy Prime came in to the room._

_"Jim, we just found something off about Lieutenant Llia." McCoy Prime said._

_Jim appeared to be hurt._

_"We will finish this later, Mr Spock." Jim coldly went past the Vulcan_.

 

 

_"The only reason why you cannot feel the bond is because I shielded you from it." Spock Prime replied._

_Jim appeared to be upset._

_"That really hurts." Jim said._

_"Pain from a non-existing infliction is illogical." Spock Prime said._

_"You could have just told me that you would have missed me for petes sake." Jim said._

 

 

_"We used to be  a great pair."_

_"How so?"_

_"You don't remember that?"_

_"What is 'that', Admiral?"_

_"Us."_

_"Are you implying that we were in a relationship prior to my death?"_

_"Years before your death."_

_"What happened?"_

_Jim sighed._

_"You were 'emotionally compromised' at the end of our five year mission."_

_Spock  Prime raised his arched eyebrow, almost in disbelief at first._

_"And how was it?"_

_"It depends on which 'it' you are talking about."_

_"After 'us' broke up."_

  _Jim looked Spock Prime at the eye._

 

_"It was a marriage dissolution. You are still my best friend."_

 

"Adults and elderly all aboard!" Came the announcement.

A large family of Vulcans came from behind.

They were rather emotionless and didn't have a sweat.

"Are we late?" The middle aged Vulcan.

There was on little boy with his arms wrapped around his mother's neck appearing to be scared.

"You are late," Came another un-emotional reply. "Younger shiploads have already gone. We are on the elderly and elderly."

The female Vulcan appeared to be at great pain as did the other lady Vulcans with their young.

"Logically, since we're elderly aren't we able to take small 'luggage'?" Jim asked.

"That is illogical referring to children." The head Vulcan said.

"But is it?" Jim asked.

He could see the mountains were falling. Buildings were collapsing to the ground. The Vulcan staring at him, contemplated for awhile, maybe two minutes and one second. The head Vulcan of the organization movement then made another announcement which was along the lines of 'Children and Elderly come aboard.' Jim had a sigh of relief. His Spock would be likely stunned to see this kind logic being applied. McCoy Prime would give Jim a pat on the shoulder saying, "You did good, Jim. You did good."

God, did he miss his  _Enterprise_ family.

Jim stepped aside out of the Vulcan's line of sight.

He saw little Sehlat's being brought aboard.

Jim saw the sky dotted by Vulcan passenger ships blasting off into space.

"We have reached our weight limit!" The head Vulcan declared.

Jim was out of the crowd by this point.

Jim would rather save lives than save his own as he is immortal and all. He watched the parents hold their hands up, all muttering, "Live long and prosper." to the confused children in the arms of what few adults could be squeezed in and in the arms of some elderly. Then the back end  went up.  The landing gear came up to the side of the passenger ship. The passenger ship blasted off into the sky. Jim caught a glimpse of golden rings appearing around him. It was . . . Wait a second . . This sounded a lot like the transporter when it was beaming people. Someone was beaming him off the planet!

The ground gave out beneath the Vulcans.

No screams were heard.

They fell like rag dolls.

Into the dark  abyss that was brightened by a red glow.

And Jim's world became enveloped by a golden flash.

 


	17. A promise to be kept

Jim found himself in Sick Bay.

But there was another half of it that was sealed off due to the attack launched by Nero. Nero was the one launching this dire and great loss. Jim could feel a hot steaming pain in his head. Tragedy, guilt, and sorrow. It wasn't his. He rubbed the side of his head.  Wait, the only time Jim felt emotions that were not his were when he had married to Spock. He felt the rope in his mind growing a thin re-connection back to where it had been attached. It was repairing itself.

Which was unheard of in Vulcan Marriages.

Spock was so close yet so far away.

Then a familiar man looking down toward a padd approached him.

"Mr Jim Kirk--"

"Hello, John."

The man froze, looking up, with eyes of shock.

"You are _him_?" John asked.

 _How many Jim Kirk's are there?,_ Jim wondered.

"You are Leonard McCoy," Jim said. "That is a plot twist. Don't worry. Your secret is safe with me."

John raised an eyebrow.

"What did you do to yourself?" John asked.

Jim smiled.

"I have one hell of a story to tell you." Jim said.

Jim explained to the former Marine about being taken out of a Nexus (and also avoided telling his real name) by a celestial being, being fatally injured, being sent to Vulcan twenty-five years into the past, being wakened up, and learning what he has inside his body. Jim shook his head when John asked if he knew what location he had been when he received those fatally and deadly injuries. Jim left out the whole part about being subject to countless experiments (That he knew because he had a friend hack into the company that took him and looked at the files and the videos) that went under his nose.

A young man came wheeling into the room (well actually speeded) with sweat coming down his skin.

"Hey Bones, who's the important visitor?" The young man asked, in between breaths.

The young man froze.

"Grandpa?" The young man said.

Jim smiled.

"Family resemblance is strong, ain't it?" Jim asked.

The young man, technically his counterpart, approached the older counterpart.

"But--But I am the only Kirk aboard." Kirk said.

Jim smiled, then held his hand out.

"I am the guy who you are named after, a long lost grandparent." Jim lied.

The pain was rather  extensive in his head.

"No way." Kirk said.

"Yes way." Jim said.

"My father would have talked about you to my mom." Kirk said.

Right.

George Kirk died.

"I am sorry for your loss. . ." Jim said, with much heart to it. "He would have been a excellent father."

Then Spock made an announcement regarding a retreat to the other federation starships. 

"Is he nuts?" Kirk said. "We have to go after him!" He turned in the direction of his counterpart. "Why are you so important to him? I mean. . . he just lost his mother."

"And Sarek?" Jim asked, concerned.

"Shaky, but okay." Kirk said.

Jim cleared his throat.

"I raised him, kid." Jim said.

Kirk raised his eyebrows in disbelief then he lowered him and he ran off to argue with  Spock.

"Who are you really?" John asked.

Jim turned his head toward John.

"My name is James  T Kirk,Admiral Kirk," Jim said. "My Bones would have really envied you for living forever." He got off the biobed. "But I have a promise to keep for my little girl. I won't be part of anything that has to do with Nero. I already dealt him with four decades ago. I saw his dead body myself."


	18. A broken promise is brought back to the light

_"Jim, you don't have to blame yourself for this." McCoy Prime said._

_"I made people die, Bones." Jim said._

_"If you are not going to listen to me then listen to Spock." McCoy Prime said._

_McCoy left the room._

_"Doctor MCoy is right," Spock said, shortly entering the room. "Blaming yourself for the death of others is unwise."_

_Jim sighed._

_"We could have done something about it. If I stalled him just a little more. . . ."_

_Spock Prime put one hand on Jim's shoulder._

_"There is nothing you could have done, Jim," Spock Prime said. "Nor for Nero." Spock took his hand off Jim's shoulder. "We are fortunate that the many of the civilization have survived."_

_"But what we do to deserve this from Nero?" Jim asked._

_"As I understand, in the far future, quite possibly, I will be at fault for the destruction of a planet," Spock Prime said. Jim lowered his head. "I will not allow that to happen."_

_Jim raised his head up._

_"But what if it does happen?" Jim said._

_"Then it will be a closed time loop in time and space." Spock Prime said._

* * *

_"Why are you so important to him?"_

_"I raised him,kid."_

Spock Prime let go of the Psi points of Kirk's head after he had explained his story. His hands lowered down to his side consuming in the shock that rattled his mind. It was awfully strange, ninety-four years believing Jim had died, and then seeing him in the mind of his counterpart. It was impossible. Illogical. There wasn't logic. Those kind warm, ancient eyes were still there. Those hazel eyes were full of humanity, warmth, and a certain captain aged edge to it.

There was a look of shock in the elder Spock's eyes.

"Jim." Spock Prime said.

"Yes?" Kirk said.

"That man is _my_ Jim." Spock Prime said.

"What man?" Kirk asked.

"The one you met." Spock Prime said.

Kirk raised his eyebrows.

"But he claimed to be my long lost grandparent." Kirk said.

"He is not,"  Spock Prime said. "He is following the Prime Directive by not telling you anything unlike how dire my situation is. . . where did you get him?"

"Vulcan." Kirk said.

"Jim. . . on Vulcan?" Spock Prime said. "That is highly unusual."

"I take it he doesn't live on Vulcan in your timeline." Kirk said.

"He never did," Spock Prime said. "If anywhere  not being a captain, he would be in Iowa on Earth. A majority of the time . . . in space." There was fondness in the elder Vulcan's eye. "I would often joke he was married to the Enterprise." Spock's face turned into a defiant one. "Where _you_ belong."

* * *

_"Commander."  Jim said._

_"Yes, Captain?" Spock Prime said, holding a goblet that had a unusual liquid inside of it._

_"Can you slow dance?" Jim said._

_"I am especially skilled in tap dancing." Spock Prime said._

_"Ah please, don't remind me." Jim said._

_The Vulcan raised an eyebrow._

_"Still frightened of my tap dancing?" Spock Prime asked._

_"Yes." Jim said._

_"Why are you asking about my dancing?" Spock  Prime asked._

_Jim motioned over to the little princess in between her two guardians on a purple pillow._

_"She wants to see us two dance for 'shizzles' and 'kiggles'. Whatever kiggles means I am already uncomfortable about it." Jim said._

_"I believe she means 'for shits and giggles'." Spock Prime said._

_"Spock, tell me how good is your slow dancing?" Jim said._

_"It is exceptional, captain." Spock Prime said._

_Jim grinned._

_"Fantastic," Jim said. "And then we are getting the hell out of here."_

_McCoy Prime was treating a Chekov Prime for a injury he received from saying the queen of Russia was better than the princess of the entire planet. Chekov Prime did not seem to be pleased by being the one under treatment for a rather good bragging that was meant to be a joke. Chekov Prime was sitting own in a guest chair while McCoy Prime was all over him keeping the guards away by threatening that he can kill them if they dared to touch the boy without leaving evidence._

* * *

_"Spock, I think this is a location portal." Jim said, looking over his shoulder._

_"Captain, with all the evidence we have compiled of this phenomena anything that goes in is burned and destroyed beyond recognition," Spock Prime said. "Burned to the crisp."_

_Jim looked up toward Spock._

_"But the portal didn't have a location in those instances," Jim said. "It could be safe."_

_"Captain, there are sixty-six point twenty-three chances that you will die." Spock Prime said._

_Jim had a small smile._

_"I will be okay, you can trust me." Jim said, reassuringly.  
_

_Spock's grip on Jim's wrist was loosening mostly because of the sheer force the hole was drawing upon and his grip on the branch was making it break apart slowly and gradually. The Vulcan was afraid of losing him. The Vulcan cleared his throat. If he is correct, Spock Prime reasoned, then I am not going to lose him. But there are chances I_ will _lose him.  
_

_"As it is customary before one's dearly beloved leaves . . ." Spock said. "I love you."_

_"I love you, too." Jim replied._

_Spock Prime let go of Jim's hand._

_"Captain!" Spock watched his friend vanish into thin air._

_Spock climbed back up onto the surface then flipped out his communicator, "Spock to Enterprise, is Jim there?"_

_"No, why would he?" Came Scotty's voice._

_"Check the transporter room." Spock Prime said._

_Spock waited and waited._

_"He is not there." Scotty replied._

_And Spock Prime refused to believe he lost his captain._

_Jim was out there, alive, Spock Prime could feel it._

* * *

_Spock Prime awoke from his sleep feeling  a pain in his head.  
_

_Jim!_

_Spock Prime got up then went to the computer feeling his brain empty. It was the kind of empty that terrified Spock. Hollow, not a sound met his mental ears. Endless long hole that had a rope dangling to the other side. There was no comfort in the pain that was painstakingly haunting him. It was almost like he hadn't risen up the proper mental shields. Not at the right time. This wasn't expected to encounter this pain randomly in the night for a Vulcan. Spock called for Jim through their marriage bond._

_Jim!_

_There was no answer, no reply, no casual 'what is up, Spock?', nothing of Jim._

_Jim!_

_"Computer, open communication's channel to . . . " Spock grabbed the side of his head. "Jim!"_

_He was suffering from a broken bond._

_"Admiral James T. Kirk died aboard the Enterprise B." The computer replied  
_

_Spock stepped back, in horror, until he sat down into a chair feeling his world become dizzy._

_If this were true, Spock would need to visit the healers._

_"Jim. . ." Spock  Prime said, taking his hands off his head detaching himself from these painful emotions._

_He picked up the holo-emitter of the table  and held it in his hands. The rounded circular edges, the one flat blue screen set dead in the middle, a metal loop for a string of some form to be slid in. The only thing he had left of his beloved Jim was just this. A day, just one day, and he was gone. Spock put the item against his chest feeling a lot of sorrow. He could sense, through the broken bond that was hanging on what little string that kept it together that his mate was unaware of what had happened. Jim didn't know he had died._

_Spock Prime briefly closed his eyes._

_"I love you, Jim," Spock Prime said. "I always will."_

_Jim broke his promise._


	19. Conversations of the Spocks.

"Mr Spock, before you leave . . . " Spock said. 

"Yes?" Spock Prime said.

"Did you ever have children with Captain Kirk's counterpart?" Spock asked.

"No." Spock Prime replied.

"That is unfortunate," Spock said. "He was . . . almost like a second father. He recently adopted a Vulcan  named T'Prin then moved to Vulcan last year."

"That is logical of him . .  ." Spock Prime said.

"May I ask, how did he die?" Spock asked.

Spock Prime look toward his counterpart.

"Tell me he did not tell you that. . ." Spock Prime said, in a low personal voice.

"My father told me he came with a broken bond. . . ." Spock explained. "He almost fell into a coma on his first day with amnesia," Spock Prime repeated the word 'amnesia'. "He was warned not to think of you. You dissolved your bond with him," Spock said. "So obviously you believed he had _died_."

"If I am correct, this may not happen to your Jim as well," Spock Prime said. "A fluke in time. He was aboard the USS Enterprise B for a tour when a energy ribbon enters and . . . took him."

"I am sure he will not be around for then." Spock said.

"How did Jim become a second father?" Spock Prime asked.

"More so of a nanny," Spock said. "A live in one. He moved in three years after appearing with amnesia. Sarek trusted him."

Spock Prime stepped forward, taking off what he had been wearing around his neck.

"You need this more than I do," Spock Prime said, handing the pendant to his counterpart. "I don't need it anymore."

"What is this?" Spock asked,taking the holo-emitter.

"A holo-emitter," Spock Prime said. "It is where you can decide your fate, you know how to operate a holo-emitter. . . do you?"

"This is 21st century technology." Spock said.

"22nd." Spock Prime corrected  Spock.

Spock raised a eyebrow.

"It seems so . . . old." Spock said.

"Appreciate what you have when you have them," Spock Prime said. "As do your father."

Spock appeared to be baffled.

"I believe there is a guide to this." Spock said.

"Press the green button," Spock Prime said. "You don't need a guide for buttons that indicate the purpose. Red stands for delete. Green stands for play. It is only logical."

Spock looked down toward the holo-emitter as Spock  Prime went down the hall headed to his shuttle. Sarek was walking right past him when he came to a stop and looked over his shoulder appearing to be bewildered. He had sensed his son passing by.  Sarek looked over in the direction of his son. What in the name of Surak was going on here? Sarek turned away from the direction of the unusual figure he sensed was his son but was not.

Spock would later play the holo-emitter.

And he would make his choice.


	20. A promise that was kept

T'Prin were with children her age appearing to be stoic and were chatting so causally about their parents. Some of them even discussed the chances of them being dead or alive. It disgusted T'Prin in such a unusual way seeing her race in that light. Perhaps it was because being around Jim, her daddy, for so long he has rubbed off his humanity on her. She looked around seeing unfamiliar faces. She was afraid that he hadn't made it. Being alone again was the most painful thing she had to experience.

She was the sole survivor of the shuttle crash due to being in a escape pod.

Her Vulcan mother stroked her face and said, " _I love you, baby, more than my emotions can ever say._ " then shut the door on T'Prin.

Why was she put into a escape pod?

"T'Prin? T'Prin! T'Prin!" Came a familiar older male voice.

T'Prin turned her head in the direction of the voice through the crowd of stoic children.

"Daddy!" T'Prin speeded ahead.

T'Prin ran in the direction of the source calling her name.

The most familiar older and staccato voice who took her in. She had grown used to it, perhaps, saw him as a interesting father figure.  A caring human being. Unlike most Vulcans she was wired different in her brain. In short, she learned differently. She came to the older man right in her line of sight. She was gleaming with joy. Her daddy. Well, he wasn't the one who aided in her birth but he was damn close to being the father figure she had. Jim picked the girl up into his arms.

"I knew you would come back for me." T'Prin said, with a smile growing on her face.

Jim had one hand wrapped around her back as her arms were on his shoulder. 

"I always will, my little girl." Jim said.

Jim wore the combadge wherever he went attached to a golden bracelet. He hadn't told John about it. Of all the times John had reminded him dearly of someone he barely knew, it made complete sense. John once had been there to apply first aid to a couple Romulans coming in after being attacked by some Klingon ships and were not so hostile and promised to leave after the space station helped. John was one of those volunteers. It didn't matter that this version of Bones was a two century year old man.  He was Bones. One will watch out for both Spock and Jim of this universe until they are dead or until he has to fake his own death. That's the one part that assured Jim. It made him believe the crew of the Enterprise would be safe. John likely had to fake his death a lot when he had to burn his current identity.

Jim knew it would hurt Spock and his counterpart when their Bones 'died'.

Bones was like family to them.

Now, how does Jim find his Spock?


	21. That epilogue

20,000 Vulcans survived the destruction of their home planet not counting off-worlders. It has been six months since the event unfolded before the federation. Strangely, Jim couldn't find Spock Prime or his whereabouts. How? Why? This brought numerous questions to Jim's head. It should be easy for Jim to find his Spock.

But it wasn't.

_"Captain,  I went back in time and rescued myself through the guardian of forever." Spock Prime said._

_"I don't recall seeing two of you." Jim said._

_"I went to a time where I was seven years old going on my rite of passage. I called myself Selek and pretended to be a cousin." Spock Prime said._

_Jim raised an eyebrow._

_"And you said Vulcan's don't lie." Jim noted._

_"Only when incredibly necessary." Spock Prime said._

_"Go on." Jim said._

_"And in my place, in the alternate timeline, was a Andorian. I can only hope he is living prosperly." Spock Prime said._

_"Hm, interesting," Jim said. "A science officer being a Andorian. What would that have been like?"_

_"I really prefer not to think about it." Spock Prime said. said._

_"If you were put into a situation like that again on Vulcan, would you call yourself Selek?" Jim asked._

_"Affirmative." Spock Prime said._

_Beep. Beep. Beep._

_Jim pressed a button on the machine with his head turned._

_"Keptain, we have reached Zhekio." Chekov Prime said._

_"Thank you,  Mr Chekov." Jim said._

Jim's rope was gradually repairing itself, painstakingly slowly, and this just made Jim think about Spock even more. He could remember luxurious nights in bed they had after their missions. He could remember the first kiss. One that was not forced by any godly beings, parasites, or anything not-so-ordinary. He could remember the first night they had sex. How messy his hair had been after they had a experience not even a Deltan could top. It was simply amazing.

He talked about Spock to T'Prin.

 _His_ Spock.

"Spock is currently serving aboard the USS Enterprise,Daddy." T'Prin said.

"I am talking about my Spock. There are two Spock's." Jim said.

"Why is there two?" T'Prin asked.

Jim was washing the dishes.

"Because something happened and displaced him into a Alternate Universe." Jim said.

"Then who are you?"  T'Prin asked.

"Logically, the captain." Jim said.

"Which one?" T'Prin asked.

Jim turned his head away toward T'Prin.

" _The_ captain," Jim pointed to his chest. "Second captain of the _Enterprise_."

"You look nothing like your pictures." T'Prin said.

"This is a Alternate Universe," Jim said. "Events that are not canon to mine have happened. People look different." Jim thought about Sarek and Sarek  Prime. He thought of Bones and McCoy Prime. "Now the parallel universes are where the opposite events happened . . ." Jim stopped rubbing the plate using the wet soapy rag. "You should learn about this in school," Jim shook his head. "I don't know why I am talking to a child about science fiction."

"What do you call him?" T'Prin asked.

Jim thought of Spock and Spock Prime.

 _I wish you were here to explain,Spock,_ Jim thought.

"Spock, Mr Spock for formal occasions, Ambassador for more 'offical' occasions, and Selek for .  . ." Jim put the plate on the table. "For. . ."

 _Spock_.

Jim used the table as his guide to walk from the kitchen leaving T'Prin on the small chair.

"Daddy?" T'Prin asked,sounding to be concerned.

"I don't feel so well." Jim said, his hand knocking a plate to the floor where it shattered to pieces.

"Daddy!" T'Prin said, starting to get off her chair. 

Jim used the wall as his guide to walking forward. 

He felt certainly dizzy and the edges of his eyes were growing dark in his line of vision.  Jim managed to get herself to sit down on the wide couch he had purchased using federation credits. T'Prin put a pillow under Jim's head then went off to the kitchen to make vegetable soup which was easy for her to make because he made it last night.  The easiest thing to do for her at the time was prepare for when he woke up. That lasted for hours. He didn't wake up. She had to heat up dinner. Though for the rest of the two days she was by the side of Jim.

Until she decided to get a healer and see what was wrong with him.

"I grieve with thee." The healer said.

"What do you mean?" T'Prin said.

"He is dead." The healer said.

T'Prin stared at the man who seemed to be sleeping, not dead.

"You are wrong. He is still there." T'Prin said.

"Your father may be breathing, but his . . . his mind is not there," The healer said.  "He is _never_ going to wake up."

"Please, try one more time." T'Prin plead.

The healer sighed then put his fingers along Jim's Psi points. He closed his eyes and tried again for his search. He could feel the remains of a mind in the vessel. The mind was smaller and flickering than it had been before.  He heard a name being called from the darkness. A name that was tied to a officer serving on the USS Enterprise. _Spock . . ._ The way it sounded was more of a lover who couldn't get their beloved off their mind. It was the voice of someone who missed their beloved.  The image of someone who somewhat resembled Spock came up. It resembled Selek, a Vulcan who aided in the foundation of New Vulcan, the confederacy of Surak except much younger. The healer let go of Jim's head.

"This human has a dissolved marriage bond. His suffering must end." The healer said.

"There has to be a way. There has to be!" T'Prin said.

"If the significant other dissolved their marriage bond then they have good reason to." The healer said.

"Please." T'Prin said.

"Only the one previously wedded to him can bring his mind." The healer said.

"Thank you."  T'Prin said.

* * *

  _"Jim,Spock is the host to a parasite!"  McCoy Prime said._

_"Wait,what?" Jim said, with much surprise in his voice.  
_

_"It seems I am pregnant." Spock Prime mused._

_Jim looked at Spock's bulging belly as the Vulcan was on the biobed. Jim rubbed his eyes, not once, but twice to make sure he wasn't dreaming. Spock rubbed his stomach staring at it ever so fascinated by it. Jim could see the shape of a foot pressed up against Spock's stomach. McCoy Prime was by Spock's side with a scowl and folded arms._

_"You just had to be in the way of that creep, didn't you?" McCoy Prime said._

_"Bones, you just said this is a parasite but I can clearly see a foot." Jim pointed out._

_"I am the surrogate to a alien newborn currently in the last developing stages." Spock Prime said.  
_

_"And I am going to C-section it out in twenty-four hours," McCoy Prime. "And it should be done in a woman not a man! I mean, a woman's body is more prepared for this than a man is." McCoy Prime gestured over toward Spock. "Captain, we need to get some willing woman volunteers. And Spock,if you get contractions that shouldn't happen. You must tell me."_

_Jim's hands grew into fists._

_"Is that what they do? Have surrogates carry their offspring? Even against their own will?" Jim was disgusted at the thought that he could have been unwillingly impregnated by the unusual species._

_"Apparently so." Spock Prime said._

_These species transmitted their embryos through a machine that  sent them from one place to another a bit like the transporter only meant for the insides of humanoid beings. Every three months the embryos were taken to different hosts inside male bodies a majority of the time. Mostly due to the insides of the male be a ideal incubator being proven scientifically by their society and be better at protecting their developing fetuses than the alien's females. The females only spent three weeks with the baby inside them as a fetus then it was transmitted into a alien male due to a defunction in their female body that didn't allow the baby to further develop inside the womb and made the baby get a cold. Now, since they had developed this defunction centuries after becoming advanced in technology it wasn't much of a problem. This problem effected all of their females._

_"Next time I will be the one who carries the baby," Jim said. "If there is ever a next time."_

_"It is a lot like butterflies in my stomach," Spock Prime remarked. "Other than the kicking, it is quite pleasant. May I now return to my duties, doctor?"_

_"No way, not until we get a woman,Spock." McCoy Prime said._

_Jim grinned then he walked on out of the room all the while keeping his cool._

He felt a hand place itself on the side of his head.

Familiar, warm but wrinkled hands.

_Spock?_

There was a familiar phrase being chanted.

_Spock?_

That was the only person on his mind.

_Spock!_

* * *

  **. . . 2259. . .**

**.  . . New Vulcan. . .**

"I really hope your other self is okay." Kirk said, as they walked down the hall heading to the transporter.

"Vulcans have a sufficient chance of surviving a heart attack even though Vulcans never experience it," Spock explained. "This must be stirred by the cause that he is half human and I am taking note in his condition that should be deteriorating since a human-Vulcan hybrid would be weakened by it and old age would take over leading to imminent death."

"Spock, did you do research?" Kirk asked, raising a eyebrow.

"Effectively after hearing the news, why yes." Spock said.

They entered into the transporter room.

"Are you scared of dying?" Kirk asked.

"Dying is a natural process that should be respected and not be intervened when it is already occurring." Spock replied, his hands behind his back.

"Scotty, do you have the coordinates?" Kirk asked.

"Ay, sir!" Scotty said. "Already got it in."

Kirk and Spock got on the transporter pad.

"Energize." Kirk said.

Scotty slid up the bars to the transporter console.

Kirk and Scotty were beamed down to New Vulcan's planet surface at least five feet away from the family apartment. The two approached the door. Kirk knocked three times, then looked over to the Vulcan who wasn't showing any emotion. No indicators that he was afraid.  They had expected for Jim to open the door only for a three year old Vulcan girl to open the door wearing gloves as her arms were covered in paint and she had a unusually delightful smile.

"Hello," T'Prin said, in her best 'emotionless' voice and she stepped aside. "Daddy is waiting for you."

"Fascinating," Spock said. "She already calls him 'Daddy'."

"Ah come in Spock." Kirk said, grabbing his first officer by the shoulder and bringing him in.

T'Prin carefully slid off her pair of gloves then put them into a machine that did all the cleaning only to tell the two, "Down the hall across from the living room, take a turn to the right, and then you are there." She went to a painting that was propped by a pair of wooden legs and resumed dipping her fingers into the small circular bowls and proceeded to finger paint a vase. Kirk had let go of the Vulcan's shoulder.

"Did you paint?" Kirk asked.

"I saw it as a illogical waste of my time."  Spock said.

"So what did you do for fun?" Kirk asked.

"Private matters." Spock said, going in the direction T'Prin had said.

They came into the wide room with furniture. Jim heard the door start to open so hid what he had into somewhere close-by but not so obvious and evidently clear. The two young men came into the room. Spock saw his prime self on the bed deep in trance.

_"I am not going to lose you again, Spock," Jim said. "And I am always going to be there for you. Nothing is going to separate us this time." He injected the needle into the sleeping Vulcan's skin. "I am doing this out of love. I don't want to be alone, not again."  He pressed the back end letting the contents empty out into the Vulcan's blood stream. "I rather go to comatose over you dying." He took the needle out of the Vulcan as it had emptied. "I have one person to thank bringing us back together and that is Q."_

_Jim took out a phaser._

_"But unfortunately, I have to be prepared for if you turn into a ugly monster," Jim said. "And I would never forgive myself if you did."_

"How is he?" Kirk asked.

Jim smiled.

"Healing himself, what do you expect a Vulcan to do?" Jim asked.

"Vulcans can heal themselves?" Kirk said.

"You'll learn about that part,later, kid." Jim said, then he looked over to Prime Spock.

"What happened?" Spock asked.

"He was in a political discussion with Sarek," Jim looked sadly over to Spock and Kirk. He knew Sarek's fate, a honorable one, but he made a personal vow never to tell anyone. "Then . . . Then he stopped speaking correctly, I mean, god, that was humiliating for him. I could feel it miles away!" He leaned back into the chair. "It was very  frightening. The healers sent him home after they came to the conclusion that you just came to, Mr Spock."

_Jim dropped the plate to the floor._

_"Oh no," Jim said, his eyes widening and his hands were trembling. "Not now."_

"He is dying." Spock said.

"Much as he tries to heal himself . . ." Jim said. "It would cost a miracle to save this man."

Jim looked over toward his Spock.

"So what is that?" Kirk asked, pointing over to the open combadge on the table.

"Combadge," Jim said. "They come around in four decades. "This . . . just broke apart." Jim swiped it off the desk then dropped into the trash can where it made a metal kling upon landing. "Been meaning to do that for awhile."

 

_"Jim. . . I just saw my father go to his death." Spock Prime said._

_Jim took the hand of Spock._

_"I grieve with thee." Jim said._

_Spock Prime closed his eyes._

_"He told me . . ." Spock Prime opened his eyes. "Something I never heard from him in decades," Spock Prime said, his eyes were starting to get watery. "That he loved me."_

_Jim caught his first officer first into the hug and let the much taller Vulcan cry into his shoulder._

 

"What are you going to do after he is dead?" Kirk asked.

Jim looked over toward the door then back to the two men.

"Raise T'Prin and fall back into obscurity," Jim said. "Can't do much except for . . . wait until the grim reaper comes to my front door."

Or somehow return to his universe with Spock's remains.

He must be buried in space.

The space they served together for four decades.

"That sounds like a logical choice." Spock said.

"How much has being around Vulcan's affected you?"  Kirk asked.

"Unlike how they seem to be, they are quite fun loving beings and their logic. . . oh god. . . That is the best subject  I ever came across," Jim said. "In fact they are quite easy to live with. Don't let their negative side fool you."

**Beep. Beep.  Beep.**

Kirk flipped out his communicator.

"Kirk here."

"Captain, Christopher Pike would like to speak with you."

"About?"

"All I know is that a man named John Harrison attacked Star Fleet Quarters and that is all he would say."

"On my way. Kirk out."

Jim had a short laugh.

"I am so glad you met Pike earlier."  Jim said.

"You never met him?" Kirk asked.

"Once," Jim said. "But he wasn't in my life as much as he was in yours, or, as I have been informed by your Spock."

"Spock, did you really?" Kirk asked.

"I had no choice but to disclose--" Spock started but Kirk caught him off.

"Yes, you did," Kirk said. "Next time you ask to play chess, I am declining. Go ask Nyota next time."

Kirk walked out of the room and he left with a furious storm.

"Kid really has an attitude." Jim said.

Spock Prime's eyes started to open followed by a soft groan.

"Jim. . . why am I in bed?" Spock Prime said.

Spock glared over in the direction of Jim.

"You got ill, and now, you are _perfectly_ healthy." Jim said.

"What is that sound I can hear? Sounds like hearts." Spock Prime said.

Jim smiled.

"What did you do, Admiral?" Spock said.

"I used a miracle," Jim said. "Go to your captain. Because in reality, he is going to need you."

Spock held his hand up, "Live long and prosper." then he left.

"Jim, what did you do?" Spock  Prime asked.

Jim listened until he could not hear the footsteps of Spock, he heard, "One to beam up, Mr Scott." then the familiar sound of beaming take place outside the house.  Jim turned his head in the direction of Spock Prime and his face turned into a brightened one.

"I made you immortal, my friend," Jim said. "Just like Bones and I."

"Explain." Spock Prime requested, getting up-right.

"It starts with Oldavia two centuries ago in 2046 . . . ." Jim said. "And this just goes without  saying: you do not want to play with extra chromosomes."

"Jim!" Spock Prime said.

"A long time ago . . . there was a machine called the Ark that lead directly to Earth from Mars and a couple other planets that are currently unknown," Jim explained. "There was a facility on Mars called Olduvia. Currently obliterated. In it there were scientists meddling with something they should not have had. Something that had previously wiped out an entire race in a bio-engineered war. Something that left people as monsters and superhuman. And this begins with _the video_."

And Jim?

He was in the clear.

Out of the woods.

 **The End**.


End file.
